220 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Hepialus humuli. — The specimens taken of this insect were 

 males only, but they present the ordinary coloration of the 

 species, and show no resemblance to the variety Hethlandica. 



Xylopliasia rurea. — A very fine series was taken, showing a 

 number of intermediate varieties between the type and the 

 variety Combitsta. It would be impossible to describe the rich 

 chestnut colour of some of these most beautiful specimens, and 

 in many instances the ground colour is in strong contrast to the 

 dark markings. 



Xylojihasia polyodon. — Probably so fine a series of this insect 

 was never seen. The parallel variety to Comhusta is of the richest 

 dark chestnut-colour, very glossy, and, as in the case of X. rurea, 

 the intermediate varieties are numerous. 



Boarmia repandata. — This is one of the two most remarkable 

 insects collected. The response to the environment is as complete 

 as is found to be the case in Gnophos obscurata, with this difference, 

 that the latter species frequents rocks, exposed chalk, sand and 

 peat, when at rest, and its colours are assimilated to the prevailing 

 colour of the geological formation. In England Boarmia repandata 

 frequents trees when at rest, and its colour assimilates to that of 

 their trunks ; but in the Hebrides, where there are naturally no 

 trees to rest upon, the insect has become differentiated to the 

 colour of the gneiss rock, on which it rests in the daytime. 

 Further it appears that this departure from the normal 

 coloration is more pronounced in the female than in the 

 male, the former more needing, in the interest of the race, 

 to be protected. The whole of the specimens obtained are of a 

 leaden grey colour, varied more or less with darker markings ; in 

 the females there is no trace of brown, and only by closely 

 examining some of the males can a very faint trace be occasionally 

 discovered ; in fact the variety is as grey as Teplirosia consonaria, 

 which it resembles both in colour and size, and being very much 

 less than that of the type Repandata. This being a well-defined 

 local variety, differing in colour and size entirely from the type of 

 the species, I propose for it the subspecific name of Boarmia 

 repandata variety Sodorensium. 



Dasydia ohfuscata. — The specimens captured are lighter than 

 usual ; in fact the females are almost of the same colour as some 

 of the variety B. Sodorensium, showing that similar causes have 

 produced like results. 



