283 
NOTES ON THE SYNONYMY OF NOCTUID MOTHS. 
By Artur G. Butuer, F.L.S., F.Z.8., &c. 
(Continued from p. 214.) 
Catocala. 
I have not the least doubt that Walker’s C. nuptula and 
Grote’s C. alabame are females of Cramer’s C. grynea. Walker’s 
C. nuptula is more distinct in character than Grote’s C. alabame ; 
both have the black border of the secondaries interrupted; but 
this character will not hold, as an example from Zeller’s 
collection has the border only united on the margin by a 
hair-line. 
I cannot quite see my way to clearly distinguishing between 
C. crategi, pretiosa, and mira ; I cannot find out where one leaves 
off and the other begins.* 
I think it very doubtful whether my C. xarippe from Japan 
will hold its position as a species distinct from C. paranympha; 
the characters upon which it was separated are certainly variable, 
and a long series of Japanese specimens may completely link it 
to C. paranympha. 
Catocala pregnax. 
$ Catocala pregnax, Walker, Lep. Het. xiv. p. 1218, n. 66 
(1857). 
2C. obliterata, Ménétries, Cat. Mus. Petrop. iii. p. 159, 
pl. xvii. fig. 3 (1863). 
?C. esther, Butler, Cist. Ent. ii. p. 248, n. 8 (1877); Ul. 
Typ. Lep. Het. ii. p. 40, pl. xxxiil. fig. 9 (1878). 
China and Japan. Type in Col. B. M. 
Walker’s type is a very worn male from North China. The 
figure, by Ménétries, is evidently taken from an equally worn 
female, as the most important markings are slurred over, and 
the brown shades brought into prominence as markings. The 
Japanese type belongs to the white-spotted, pale-belted variety, 
to which we possess a perfect gradational transition in our series 
of specimens. 
Catocala nymphea. 
Noctua nymphea, Esper, Kur. Schmett. p. 158, pl. 105, fig. 4 
@7s7)- 
Catocala persimilis, Warren, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1888, p. 314. 
Var. C. dotata, Walker, Lep. Het. xiii. p. 1212, n. 65 (1857). 
Europe, ‘ New York,” India. In Coll. B. M. I doubt the 
correctness of the locality, “‘ New York,” for this species. 
* A specimen of this form in Zeller’s collection is labelled as C. polygama, 
Guen., and I am not sure that it is an error; the two forms are terribly 
close. I thought I had discovered a difference in the post-median line of 
primaries, but it varies. 
