12 VARIETIES OF NOCTU^E 



two longitudinal streaks of white ; a black basal mark, and a black 

 double, zigzag, transverse line passing through the stigmata ; a black 

 trifurcate costal mark near the apex is developed into a double transverse 

 line ; a double row of black dots at hind margin. Hind wings dark 

 grey, base paler." This is represented by fig. 2, p. 247 of Newman's 

 British Moths,' the less strongly marked fig. 1 being var. runica. 

 I have specimens with the ordinary white marks of a delicate pink 

 colour. Guenee described the French specimens as having the inner 

 margin and two longitudinal bands of a whitish-rose colour. 



a. var. runica, Haw. In a long series, I have only one specimen 

 that represents the type, all the others having single transverse lines 

 and thus representing var. runica. The variety being less strongly 

 marked than the type, has, of course, a much lighter appearance ; Mr. 

 Newman figures this in his ' British Moths,' p, 257 (top figure), and on 

 the next page suggests the probability of orion and runica being dis- 

 tinct species, but I see no reason for supposing this possible. The 

 type is rarely found in Britain, with the more common variety. 



/?. var. rosea, mihi. Like the type but with longitudinal white 

 markings of a delicate rosy tint. Guenee writes of the French 

 specimens : " Superior wings green with the costa, the inner margin 



and two longitudinal bands of a rosy white 



A subterminal row of triangular black dots surrounded with 



rosy white, &c." (' Noctuelles,' vol. v., p. 36). 



Diloba, St., cceruleocephala, L. 



This species is most remarkable for the endless variation exhibited 

 by the stigmata. These are generally pale yellowish-white in colour, 

 the claviform being united to the orbicular ; the central areas of both 

 these confluent stigmata being darker, they bear a close resemblance to 

 the figure 8. The reniform is attached to this and varies in shape, 

 sometimes forming another 8-shaped mark, sometimes a large 

 irregular blotch extending to the costa. The Linnsean description is 

 " Bombyx elinguis cristata, alis deflexis griseis : stigmatis albidis 

 coodunatis " ('Fauna Suecicse,' No. 117). Alee stigmata duo, reni- 

 formia, magna, quasi didyma connexa ; margo posticus striga nigra 

 undulata " (' Systema Naturae,' p. 826, No. 59). Our specimens are 

 not strictly typical being tinged with reddish or purplish. 



a. var. armena, Stdgr. Staudinger describes a variety from 

 Armenia as : " pallidor, al. ant. cinereis " (' Catalog,' p. 76). I 

 know nothing of it. 



Acronycta, Och. (Bisulcia, Chapman), ligustri, Fab. 

 The type is described by Fabricius as follows : " Alis deflexis 

 f usco virescentique var i is nigro subundatis : macula magna postica 

 albida. Thorax albo nigroque variis. Alse anticas obscurse, variegatse. 

 In medio macula ordinaria annula albo cincta. Versus apicem macula 

 magna alba. Margo ipse albo variegatus, nigro punctatus" (' Mantissa,' 

 p. 172, No. 244). It will be thus seen that the type has a greenish- 

 fuscous ground colour, with a white patch near apex, stigma 

 surrounded with white, and thorax speckled with white. Many of 

 our specimens have the apical spot fuscous, and others have the whole 

 wing (pale parts included) of a deep green colour. I have also a 

 perfectly melanic example from Mr. Hall, captured near Sheffield. 



