34: - VARIETIES OP NOCTTLK 



years. The species undergoes a certain amount of variation, of which 

 I am unable to write much from personal experience. Haworth's de- 

 scription is very distinct : " Alis rufescentibus seu griseo atomosis, 

 lineola obliqua fusca apicis punctoque minutissimo albo basi stigmatis 

 postici. Stigmata ordinaria fere omnino obliterata " (Haworth's * Lepi- 

 doptera Britannica,' p. 174, No. 37). Why this name (unipuncta) has 

 been replaced, by some authors, by Guenee's extranea I cannot imagine, 

 considering that Haworth's name is prior by more than half a century. 

 The description of Guenee's extranea is almost identical with that of 

 Haworth, but in addition, the former author lays stress on his specimens 

 being more strongly powdered with black scales. Guenee writes of 

 extranea : " The superior wings very acute at the apex, of a grey 

 colour, more or less reddish, sometimes whitish, strongly powdered 

 with black scales. The two ordinary stigmata stand out in the dis- 

 coidal cellule in a light, more or less reddish colour. Under the reni- 

 form is a white spot, lightly surrounded with black. No traces of 

 transverse lines occur, but the series of black dots which represents 

 the usual angulated line beyond the reniform is often very distinct ; 

 an oblique black streak starting from this line and carried almost to 

 the apex, together with the shape of the wings, form the principal 

 characteristics of this species. The inferior wings slightly transparent, 

 grey, with the outer margin and the nervures blackish " (Gueuee's 

 'Noctuelles,' vol. v., pp. 77, 78). Mr. Dobree writes to me : " Specimens 

 which I have from South Australia agree with Guenee's type, but are 

 decidedly greyer and more coarsely powdered with black atoms than 

 my specimens from Canada, but as Guenee's var. B, which are less 

 powdered, are from Australia, probably they vary there too." Taking 

 Haworth's less powdered reddish specimens with the white dot on the 

 anterior wings as the type, the following varieties have been 

 noticed : 



a. var extranea, Gn. Described in full above ; more thickly pow- 

 dered with black scales than the type. The Eev. G. H. Eaynor has 

 brought the following description to my notice : " Fore wings light 

 brownish-ochreous, with numerous scattered short fuscous strigulss and 

 black scales ; orbicular and reniform indistinct, roundish, more 

 yellow-ochreous, dark centred ; a white dot, sometimes very obscure, 

 on lower margin of reniform, preceded and followed by dark scales ; 

 a curved posterior series of black dots ; a straight oblique slender 

 fuscous streak from apex to this series ; a hind marginal series of black 

 dots ; cilia pale brownish-ochreous ; apex whitish. Hind wings grey- 

 whitish, towards hind-margin broadly suffused with dark grey, 

 especially on upper half, veins dark grey ; cilia whitish, sometimes 

 with an indistinct grey line " (' Transactions of the New Zealand Insti- 

 tute/ vol. xix., 1886, by E. Meyrick, B.A., F.E.S.). 



/?. var. asticta, mini. This is Guenee's var. A, of which he says : 

 " No white spot at the base of the reniform." This name would also 

 include Guenee's var. B, of which he says: " No white spot; superior 

 wings less powdered, with the apical streak less marked. Inferior 

 wings with a blackish border clearly marked, especially underneath." 

 So that his var A is the variety extranea without the white spot ; var. B 

 is the paler type without the white spot. 



