42 VARIETIES OF 



8. var. snffusa, St. Another modification of var. ectypa, with a 

 tendency to become melanic, having " the fore wings reddish, streaked 

 with whitish ashy between the veins ; with a single dusky dot at the 

 apex of the discoidal cell ; and two or three obsolete brownish streaks 

 near the extremity ; hind wings whitish, with a broad, sub-apical, 

 dusky stripe ; the apical margin paler " (Humphrey and Westwood's 

 'British Moths,' p. 218). The variety is figured in the same volume, 

 plate, xlvii., fig. 8. The figure represents the space below the median 

 nervure and between the other nervures thickly sprinkled with minute 

 black atoms. This figure is identical with a fine dark specimen I 

 captured at Deal, in July, 1887. 



c. var. ochracea, St. The type of this variety " measures only 13 

 lines in expanse ; the fore wings are * pale ochreous, with a slight ru- 

 fescent tinge in certain lights, immaculate, obscurely streaked with 

 pale fuscous between the nervures ; the striae at the base and on the 

 inner margin being the darkest, as in L. comma ; hind wings whitish 

 ash, with the margin slightly darker ' " (Humphrey and Westwood's 

 ' British Moths,' p. 218). This small specimen taken at Darenth, in 

 August, was supposed by the late Mr. Henry Doubleday to be a speci- 

 men of the second brood. I have, however, many large specimens of 

 the summer brood from various localities answering this description, 

 and I would propose that the name ochracea comprise all reddish 

 ochreous forms, whatever the number of dots developed. Var. B of 

 Guenee's ' Noctuelles,' p. 93, would appear to belong to ochracea. It 

 is described as having " a reddish shade under the median nervure, 

 and similar streaks towards the outer margin. Inferior wings having 

 the nervures sprinkled with black on the disc." 



Leucania, Och., phragmitidis, Hb. 



Hiibner's fig. 230 (by error 330) represents the type, and is excel- 

 lently drawn. It has the anterior wings clear whitish ochreous, with 

 the outer half of the wings to the hind margin reddish ; the hind 

 wings grey, the upper (anal) angle paler. This is intermediate 

 between two extreme forms, one, with the whole of the anterior wings 

 without the slightest trace of reddish, the other, with the anterior wings 

 entirely red. There is a great deal of difference also in the size of 

 different specimens. I have some specimens exceedingly small of both 

 the following varieties, as well as the type. 



a. var. rufescens, mihi. The anterior wings entirely suffused with 

 rich deep red, the hind margin being slightly darker. The hind wings 

 bright shiny grey, with paler nervures. In my opinion this is one of 

 the finest varieties in the family, and I have a fine series in my collec- 

 tion, captured on the banks of the Thames in North Kent. The form 

 is local and rare, and I have rarely taken it in localities even where 

 the type is abundant, although Mr. Dobree writes that it is " equally 

 common at Beverley as the type." It occurs sparingly at Wicken, 

 whence I have received it from Mr. Farren. The type is rare on the 

 Continent, and the variety, I believe, almost unknown. This variety is 

 figured in Humphrey and Westwood's ' British Moths,' pi., xlvii., fig. 16. 



/3. var. pattida, mihi. Of a pale unicolorous, whitish ochreous 

 colour, with a slightly greenish tinge, perfectly clear and unspotted, 



