14:2 VARIETIES OP NOCTtLflB 



fusco-rufus est. Striga ipsa secunda cseteris triple validior est, et 

 fusca. Alse posticse ut in ultima " (' Lepidoptera Britannica,' p. 249, 

 No. 264). This variety is much rarer than either of the preceding as 

 far as my knowledge extends. It sometimes has the basal area to the 

 median transverse shade of the ordinary greyish colour, the whole of 

 the outer area beyond being smoky-fuscous rather than reddish- 

 fuscous. The Rev. G. H. Ray nor has such a variety taken at Brent- 

 wood in Essex. 



8. var. bilinea, Hb. Of the variety bilinea, Guenee writes: 

 " Under this name each author has given a very different variety of 

 trilinea which is modified infinitely " (' Noctuelles,' vol v., p. 236). 

 This is unfortunately the case, the bilinea of Hiibner differing greatly 

 from that of either Treitschke or Haworth. It is necessary to retain 

 the name for the bilinea of Hiibner. This is represented by his fig. 

 216, of which I made the following description : " Anterior wings red- 

 dish-grey, with the space between the median shade (between the 

 stigmata) and the complete basal transverse line, of a blackish-grey," 

 so that the variety is really distinctly banded. I am unable to say 

 whether the variety occurs in Britain, as I have never seen one. 



e. var. obscura, inihi. bilinea, Haw. This is the most unicolor- 

 ous and obscure form of the species, being of a very dark smoky-grey 

 or brown colour, generally with only two transverse lines clearly 

 marked, although the others are somewhat faintly traceable. 

 Haworth's description is : " Noctua (The dark Treble-lines). Alis 

 griseo-fuliginosis strigis duabus rectis, stigmate obsoletissimo inter jecto." 

 " Prioribus maxime affinis est, at longe saturatior et quasi fuliginosa, 

 hinc illinc tinctura grisea. Striga abbreviata praecedentium deest, at 

 tertia certo situ paululum appareat fuliginosior quam alse, et transit 

 stigma reniforme evanescens. Stigma anticum nullum. Antennae 

 testacese validze, lente pectinatse sunt. Posticse fuscse ciliis runs " 

 (' Lepidoptera Britannica,' pp. 249, 250). This is not by any means a 

 common variety, but it is widely distributed and occasionally taken in 

 almost all the localities where the type is common. Guenee very 

 rightly remarks : " In the specimens of bilinea which I have seen, I 

 have sometimes noticed traces of the reniform " (' Noctuelles,' vol. v., 

 p. 236). 



f . var, pallida-linea, mihi. = bilinea, Tr. Treitschke, ' Die 

 Schmetterlinge,' &c., vol. v., p. 275, thus describes bilinea : "Caradrina. 

 Alis anticis fusco griseis, strigis duabus pallidioribus." In the German 

 description following he adds : " It is the size of triknea. The 

 colour of the anterior wings dark ashy-grey; the first trans- 

 verse line is wanting. There are two pale transverse lines, 

 between which is a broad band with a dark brown shade 

 in the middle. The hind wings are light brown with a light 

 fringe and a dark lunule." Guenee writes (' Noctuelles,' p. 236) of 

 Treitschke's bilinea : " The bilinea of Treitschke is entirely reddish* 

 with the two ordinary transverse lines, each placed on a paler band ; 

 and the median band incomplete or wanting," but this is an error. I 

 have a fine example of this dark fuscous variety with the 2nd and 

 3rd transverse lines clearly edged with pale, thus making the form 



* It is not reddish but greyish-fuscous according to the description of that 

 author. 



