itf THE BRITISH ISLANDS. 97 



(2). var. rava-flavo. Like var. rava, but reniform ochreous. The red- 

 banded form, without the > i -like mark, is comparatively rare, the next 

 form, didyma, being much more abundant. 



e. didyma, Esp. This (the type) is the more common banded form 

 in Britain, and is of a reddish ochreous ground colour, with dark 

 reddish central area; black i-like mark under stigmata; reniform 

 white. Many specimens of this variety have a purplish tint. (2). 

 Didyma-flavo. Like the type, didyma, but with yellowish stigmata. 

 Of these varieties G-uenee writes (' Noctuelles,' vol. v., p. 211) : " Com- 

 prises all those specimens in which the median space, or at least its 

 lower part, forms a blackish band, descending almost to the inner mar- 

 gin and traversed generally* by a most intensely black streak below 

 the submedian nervure. Although this variety is met with 

 in both sexes, it is more common in the males. I have seen in 

 Mr. Pierret's collection a very remarkable example,f where the basal 

 and subterminal spaces are almost white, as in connexa." 



. var. furca, Haw. This is a striking form, somewhat like the 

 oculea of Guenee, but with the ground colour reddish ochreous instead 

 of pale whitish grey or greyish ochreous ; the costal area very dark 

 reddish brown, almost blackish, and without the i-like mark, which 

 especially gives the former variety its banded appearance. Haworth 

 writes of furca : " Alis ochraceis margine costali posticoque irregu- 

 lariter late fuscis ; stigmate reniformi niveo antice, strigaque fusca." 

 " Prascedenti (ophiogramma = biloba) simillima, at alia, fascia costas 

 pallidiore, magis indefinita atque fracta. Alee posticae fuscee " 

 (Haworth's ' Insecta Britannica,' p. 209). (2). var. furca-flavo. Like 

 furca, but without the white stigma. It is Haworth's furca, var. /?., of 

 which he writes : " Stigmate postico absque albo." 



C. Ground colour black. 



a. var. nigra, mihi. (1). Nigra-albo. Anterior wings unicolorous 

 blackish, no transverse lines, no i-like mark, no ochreous dots as in 

 the following varieties. (2). Nigra-flavo. Like nigra-albo, but with 

 ochreous reniform. This is a rare variety, nearly all the black forms 

 agreeing with one of the following forms. 



P. var. lugens, Haw. This is a black form, with the ordinary 

 transverse lines, &c., still more intense ; a few scattered whitish or 

 ochreous spots, and a more or less distinct row of pale dots forming 

 the subterminal line. Haworth writes of this as a distinct species. 

 His description is as follows : " Alis nigris, sub-nebulosis, stigmate 

 reniformi niveo. Praecedentibus (oculea, Haw.) affinis at absolute niger 

 nebulis atris ; stigmate reniformi niveo, punctulis paucis albis adjacen- 

 tibus minutissimis. Juxta marginem posticum striga undata obsole- 

 tissima, punctorum pallidiorum. Posticae alae fuscae" (' Lepidoptera 

 iMtannica,' p. 212). (2). var. lugens-flavo. Like var. lugens, but 

 reniform ochreous instead of white. 



y. leucostigma, Esper. Like the preceding, but with an intense 

 H- <-like mark and yellow reniform. Dr. Staudinger writes : " ab 

 leucostigma. Esp., 159. Al ant. nigricantibus, albo-maculatis." "Albo- 

 maculatis " is undoubtedly a mistake for " flavo maculatis." 



*Always ! if not, it forms var. rava, Haw. 



fThis would belong to Group A, possibly an extreme form of var. I-niger, 

 or var. virgata. 



G 



