256 



middle ; immediately under the basal spot is an undulated black stri- 

 ga extending to the inner margin ; anterior stigma obsolete, the teli- 

 form small, acute, and margined with black, the posterior large and 

 renifonn, margined with black and united to the costal spot, behind 

 ai-e three black lines, bifid towards the posterior margin, and a few 

 undulations towards the inner margin ; posterior wings ashy white. 



This variety was bred by my friend Mr. Chant, from a larva found 

 at Colney Hatch ; it changed to a pupa April 15, and to the imago on 

 the 28th of May following. 



Var. 3. Eadiola, female. Anterior wings fuscous, with an ashy 

 patch in the middle towards the costa, in which is placed the anterior 

 stigma, shuttle-shaped and margined with white ; posterior wings fus- 

 cous, base cinereous. 



Var. 4. female. Anterior wings fuscous, with an ashy patch in the 

 middle, stigmata indistinct ; posterior wings silvery white. I obtain- 

 ed tliis variety from the cabinet of Mr. Stone. 



"Var. 5. radia, female. Anterior wings dark fuscous or blackish, 

 anterior stigmata small and shuttle-shaped, posterior large and reni- 

 form, behind which is a light brown waved striga ; posterior wings very 

 dark liiscous. 



The characters of the two supposed species are completely linked 

 in the five varieties described above, which certainly are but one va- 

 riable species. 



Observation. — It is singular that this species should vary so much 

 in the posterior wings in the same sex, as shown in varieties 3, 4, 5. 

 I have not observed this in any other species of the family. 



* Agrotis Tritici, vitta, pitpillataj ocellina. 



These varieties were formerly rare, but have of late been taken in 

 plenty in Devonshire, Kent and Essex. 



Var. 1. Anterior wings pale brown, with a broad streak at the base 

 spreading over the costa, rather paler than the wings, the ordinary 

 stigmata pale, with a black spot between them, teliform stigma large 

 and dark ; posterior wings white, extreme margin dusky. 



Var. 2. Tritici. Anterior wings brown tinged with reddish, with a 

 streak at the base upon the costa paler than the rest of the v^dng, and 

 a faint transverse striga before the anterior stigma, and a second be- 

 hind the posterior, behind which is a row of wedge-shaped spots, 

 stigmata pale, except the teliform, which is dusky margined black ; 

 posterior wings white, with the margin dusky. I obtained this vari- 



