Progressive melanism on the Riviera. 167 



may be noted that nothing closely approaching them 

 occurred amongst the Hyeres race (ab. nigro-punctata). 

 Figs. 9 and lOai'e two varieties from Taormina, similar speci- 

 mens were present in the Hyeres specimens ; 9 is probably 

 Milliere's, ab. alpha ; 10, a less extreme form of ab. nigro- 

 punctata than 7 and 8. In both the Taormina and Hyeres 

 races a good many varieties in the extension of the spot 

 occurred, several having more or less of an additional dark 

 line above the one present in fig. 9. In other specimens, 

 not otherwise especially pale, the spot tends to obsolescence, 

 but almost invariably there remains at least one dark 

 scale at this spot, I believe I have one specimen in 

 which it is absolutely wanting on one side, but this is so 

 rare that one does not like to be certain that the last single 

 scale was not removed by some accident. Fig. 11 is an 

 exceedingly rosy speciioen from Hyeres. 



It is a very marked form of ab. marginula, to which also 

 belong figs. 12 and 13, bred at Reigate (1905) from the 

 egg. Fig 14, another of the same brood, is rather var. 

 marginata, but is remarkable for its richness of colouring, 

 and especially the golden suffusion round the margins of 

 the wings. Figs, 12, 13 and 14 show the alliance of ab. 

 marginula with var. marginata rather than with type 

 hyerana. 



Thirty specimens bred from eggs laid at Heigate by 

 Taormina moths, varied less than those bred from larvae 

 collected at Taormina. 



As regards the long period of emergence, may be noted 

 a Hyeres specimen that emerged June 4 from a larva 

 collected only two months before, viz. in April 1906. I 

 have met with no other example so precocious. 



The whole of the specimens of Hastula hyerana referred 

 to in this paper, have been added to the Walsingham 

 collection of Micro-Lepidoptera in the Natural History 

 Museum. 



