THE BRITISH NOCTU^E AND THEIR 

 VARIETIES. 



Class : NOCTILE, Linn. 



I. Sub-Class : BOMBYCIFORMES, Gn. 



1. Family : Cymatophoridce, H.S., Noctuo-Bombycidce, Gn. 



COMPAKED with some of the families we shall have to consider 

 later on in the NOCTILZE, this family does not appear to be 

 subject to a very great deal of variation, and, when it occurs, 

 is generally produced by the transverse lines crossing the anterior 

 wings, coalescing and forming continuous bands. In some cases, the 

 ground colour is variable, and there is also a tendency in some 

 species derasa, ocularis and flamcornis to suffusion with red colour. 

 The difference in the size of the stigmata, and the difference in dis- 

 tance between the transverse lines before and beyond the stigmata, is 

 very noticeable in some species. In this family, we rarely get striking 

 examples of the melanic forms which are so commonly found in other 

 families, although some of the species have a tendency in that direction, 

 notably specimens of duplaris (both var. obscura and the type) and 

 diluta var. nubilata. Flavicornis offers, perhaps, the widest range of 

 variation, varying from a pale yellowish green to dark-grey in some 

 specimens, while others are grandly tinged with rosy-purple. 



Gonophora, Brd., derasa, L. 



This beautiful species is very invariable in Britain. I have, 

 indeed, never seen a British specimen worth alluding to as a variety. 

 There are, however, distinct forms on the Continent, one of which is 

 darker than the type, the other distinctly tinged with purple. The 

 Linnsean description is as follows : " Noctua spirilinguis cristata : 

 alis deflexis supra antice decor ticatis." " Antennas et lingua ferruginea. 

 Alas superiores griseo undulatae sed ad marginem inter iorem, antice, 

 area per alam extenditur triangularis cinerea, ac si esset decorticata 

 (tecta tamen est), qua ab omnibus distinguitur. Linea alba alam de- 

 nudatam cingit ; striga alba ad marginem posticum alaa ; albido ad 

 marginem inferiorem alee. Inferiores alas fuscescentes ; macula nulla 

 obscura in paginis inferioribus. Abdomen densiori lana albida 

 vestitum " ('Systema Naturae', p. 851). Of this description Guen^e 

 says : " Linne must have seen worn specimens of this species, when 

 he said : ' Area per alam extenditur cinerea triangularis, perinde ac 

 si esset decorticata (tecta tamen est) qua ab omnibus distinguitur.' We 



