tOO VARIETIES OF NOCTU^3 



C. Ground colour blackish-brown or reddish-black. 



1. With white or whitish-grey outer fascia = nigro-rufa ( = 



strigilis, Bork., Gn.). 



2. With red or reddish-grey outer fascia = rufa, mihi. 

 8. Unicolorous unicolor (= latruncula (var. /?.) Haw.). 



D. Ground colour black. 



1. With white or whitish-grey outer fascia = fasciata. 

 2. Unicolorous = cethiops, Haw. 



In making out this table, I have based the classification on the 

 ground colour, and the character of the fascia which runs from the 

 apex to the anal angle. In some specimens this is white, in others 

 whitish-grey, in others reddish-grey, while in some it is unicolorous 

 with the ground colour. The basal area is variable, there being two 

 pale transverse lines, more or less well developed, and, in some speci- 

 mens there is a white or grey line along the extreme basal part of the 

 hind margin. The central area which contains the stigmata is gener- 

 ally darker than the basal area, while the outer area is the palest of 

 all. The stigmata vary in size and intensity, and in colour vary with 

 the ground colour. In some specimens they are outlined in white, in 

 others, they are unicolorous grey, whilst in others, they are obsolete, 

 being lost in the ground colour. The extreme outer margin beyond 

 the fascia is generally dark. The hind wings vary a little, following 

 the intensity of the anterior wings ; the paler forms have the hind 

 wings dark grey with paler base, the darker forms, unicolorous dark 

 or blackish-grey hind wings. 



A. Ground colour ashy-grey (rarely tinged with brownish). 



a. var. prceduncula, Haw. This variety is described as a distinct 

 species by Haworth. He writes : " Noctua (the marbled minor). 

 Alis cinereo griseoque variis nebulosis, postice strigisque tribus undatis 

 albis, nigro adnatis." " Alae anticse striga basi nigra extus alba ; tune 

 alia alba extus nigra. Tune stigmata cinerea ordinaria, et pone hsec, 

 striga tertia alba arcuata nigro quasi tenue pectinata, tandem fascia 

 lata alba. Margo posticus fusco griseoque nebulosus, ciliis fusco- 

 cinereis. Posticse alas fuscse ciliis fuscescentibus " ( ' Lepidoptera 

 Britannica,' pp. 213, 214). This is the strigilis of Linnaeus but not of 

 Clerck. Linnaeus describes his species as : " Alee griseo-cinereae 

 tribus annulis ovalibus nigris ; fascia alba alas terminans latior, intra 

 quam area prior inferit 5 vel 6 strias nigras fere ad ejus medium " 

 (' Systema Naturae,' No. 161). This is not at all a common form in 

 some districts but appears to be widely distributed. 



/3. var. suffuruncula, Freyer. Freyer's plate 471, fig. 1, may be 

 described as having " anterior wings grey with a reddish tinge between 

 the reniform and orbicular, and a reddish band extending from the 

 costa to the anal angle, parallel to hind margin." I have never seen 

 a variety of this particular form, and should say it was uncommon to 

 find specimens with an ashy grey ground colour, and reddish outer 

 striga. 



y. var. mrgata, mihi. (La Bronzee, Engr., Gn.). This is another 

 variety which has not come under my notice. Guenee thus describes 

 it: "It is notably larger th, n all the other varieties, and its superior 



