HIPPODAMIA. 27 



Fig. 15 shows the variation in the pattern in the San Francisco Bay 

 region. 



Subspecies of the mountains and high latitudes has a larger percentage 

 of the characteristics of + 3, % + 3 -f-1, 4 4- 5, and the absence of pronotal 

 dashes and reduction of the light margin in the pronotum. 



FIG. 1"). Variation in color-pattern of head of 

 flippodamia convergens. c= mode: a toe, 

 from California. 



Subspecies of California, outside of the mountains and humid coast 

 region, is characterized by a large percentage of spotless elytra and of 

 pronota without dashes, and also of a reduction of the white margin. 

 When the basal band is present it is of the variety extensa without the 

 other spots. 



Subspecies of Western Oregon, except the humid region, has elytra as 

 in California, but the pronota with large dashes which sometimes open to 

 the margin and with the light margins well developed. 



Subspecies of the Great Plains shows in many specimens a reduction in 

 the number and size of spots, occasionally entire absence of spots. 



Subspecies of the Mississippi Valley, with Missouri as a center, comprise 

 the only specimens of the variety quindecimmaculata and its forms (with 

 the exception of two very rare specimens from the Pacific States). 



Subspecies of the humid Pacific coast comprises the variety moesta. I 

 have seen none of the lighter varieties in collections from the regions where 

 the variety moesta is most abundant, but this does not establish their pres- 

 ence or absence. 



One large lot taken from the top of Marsh Hill, Fairfield, Washington, 

 contained 15,415 individuals of this species and its different varieties, and 

 759 individuals of H. spuria and its varieties. The various patterns of 

 the H. convergent series were sorted and are represented in fig. 16. Those 

 with no spots or with some spots absent but with no confluence are included 

 in the 6,954 individuals of the normal pattern, as it is not feasible to rep- 

 resent the combination of spots present in the figure. They are discussed 

 on a later page. 



The march toward greater pigmentation is orderly and determinate, but 

 is not along one definite line of succession. The increase shows itself first 

 generally in the confluence of 4 and 5 or 2 and 3. Whichever appears 

 first, it is generally followed by the other. The coalescence of 1 and 3 is 

 usually the next step. Further pigmentation enlarges these areas to a con- 

 dition approaching that H. bowditchi. Only rarely does pigmentation go to 

 the extent of confluence between 4 + 5 and 6 or between 4 -f 5 and 2. 



