IK THE BRITISH ISLANDS. 59 



of paludis in the following notes on the species. With regard to the 

 superficial differences between nictitans and paludis I have made the 

 following notes : Paludis is generally larger than nictitans, and in its 

 different phases of variation is rarely, if ever, of the red coloration 

 which is common, in some shade or other, to all the varieties of nicti- 

 tans. The reniform of paludis is always more narrow, owing to the 

 absence of the outside line on the inner edge of the reniform, which is 

 present in that of nictitans ; it is also less strongly marked, and always 

 white or orange, never red. The posterior wings of paludis are more 

 ample and more rounded on the hind margin, the anterior wings less 

 arched on the costa. The typical colour of paludis is ochreous or 

 ochreous-grey, and its variations in ground colour assume a greenish 

 tint, until its extremes may be described as greenish grey ; the typical 

 colour of nictitans is red, and its extremes are reddish brown or black. 

 Both are reticulated with faint transverse lines, but nictitans is gene- 

 rally more strongly marked in this respect than paludis ; the faint 

 transverse line parallel to the hind margin of the anterior wings is of 

 a different shape in paludis to that in nictitans, being more completely 

 hollowed just below its centre. With regard to the occurrence of 

 these forms in a state of nature, the following facts are very striking : 

 On the marshes around Eochester, bordering the Medway, paludis in 

 all its forms of variation occurs. In the woods around Rochester, not a 

 paludis is to be found ; all are nictitans. At Sligo Mr. Percy Russ, with 

 one exception, has taken nothing* but paludis, some of which are 

 exceedingly beautiful forms. Mr. Harrison of Barnsley, has sent me 

 for inspection the pick of the Yorkshire forms, all are nictitans, 

 there is no sign of paludis. In London, nictitans is often common, but 

 I have never seen paludis. At Shoeburyness most are paludis, whilst at 

 Deal both forms occur. At the latter locality, I have frequently taken 

 nictitans in copula, generally resting on the marram. I have as fre- 

 quently taken paludis in copula, but never nictitans with paludis. In 

 the 'Entomologist' for 1888, Plate i., figs. 1 6 are paludis; figs. 

 7 12 are nictitans. A comparison of these two rows of figures will, I 

 trust, make the foregoing notes clear. Until very recently, I had 

 always considered lucens as a large variety of niclitans, but a fairly long 

 series, sent me by Messrs. Collins and Tunstall and captured near 

 Warrington, together with specimens from other localities, have tended 

 to alter my opinion, and I am not at all satisfied now of its specific 

 identity with nictitans. In a fairly long series, lucens appears to 

 undergo all the parallel variation found in nictitans and paludis, varying 

 in the colour of the stigmata, shade of ground colour, &c. much in the 

 same manner. At any rate the matter is worthy of further considera- 

 tion, and whilst its large size and general tendency to have a 

 narrower reniform, show it to be nearly allied to paludis, its colour, 

 and more distinct transverse lines show its connection with nictitans. 

 The type of this species (nictitans) is of a reddish grey colour, with 

 a white reniform and pale yellowish orbicular (Plate I., fig. 7). The 

 Linnaean description, < Sy sterna Natures,' p. 847, is as follows : 



* Mr. Buss in Oct. 1888, sent me a very strongly-marked specimen of H. 

 nictitans var. erythrostigma, with a query as to its being nictitans at all, the form, 

 with a red ground colour, being entirely new to him. 



