SPURIOUS VARIETIES OF LEPIDOPTERA. 273 
a separate species; in his Supplement of 1873 callune is a 
synonym of quercus, and roboris a separate species with quercus 
as synonym. South, in his recent List, gives only one species 
quercus, with callune and roboris as varieties. Thus it will be 
seen that every author has a different opinion. 
If the following questions could be answered I should be 
much obliged :—I1st. Is the species figured by Newman the one 
usually taken in this country? 2nd. Is it quercus, callune, or 
roboris? 8rd. If it is quercus, what are the distinctions between 
it, callune, and roboris? and are the two latter natives of 
Britain ? 
It seems to me that a new work on British moths, more in 
harmony with our lists, and describing all varieties, is much 
needed. Lang’s ‘European Butterflies’ might well be taken as 
a model. 
Worlington House, Instow, N. Devon, October 18, 1886. 
[Various more or less important differences occur in speci- 
mens of Bombyx quercus occurring in various parts of Kurope, 
and specimens so varying have been named, figured, or described 
by entomologists in the past. As regards callune, Palmer, and 
roboris, Schrank, the two varieties found in Great Britain, 
authors do not seem quite in accord. I apprehend that quercus, 
L. S. N. x. 498, is the type-form most generally distributed in 
Europe, including England; callune, the form which occurs in 
moorland and mountainous districts, and differs from the type 
principally in the darker colour of the female; and roboris, a 
variety of the male which has the fulvous bars of the fore wings 
wider than usual, and broad fulvous margins to the hind wings. 
The opinions of others would be exceedingly interesting.—R. 8.] 
SPURIOUS VARIETIES OF LEPIDOPTERA. 
By Joun T. Carrineton, F.L.S. 
Durine the past month I have received, as Editor of this 
magazine, several complaints from correspondents, to the effect 
that some person or persons had attempted, and indeed, in one 
or two instances succeeded, in palming off as varieties of British 
Diurni, ordinary specimens which had been either painted, 
ENTOM.—NOov., 1886. 2N 
