160 VARIETIES 0* 



transverse markings of alsines. Some British specimens of taraxaci 

 are brown, others, pale brownish-grey, powdered with white, others 

 distinctly of a purplish hue. Hiibner's type represented by fig. 

 575 (by error 175), may be described as follows: "Anterior wings 

 dark-brownish with the space between the two outer transverse lines 

 darker, the lines themselves pale, orbicular and reniform outlined in 

 pale, with a pale waved oblique line at base. Hind wings grey, ner 

 vures darker." Guenee writes of this species : " English authors 

 have made many species out of blanda, which varies very little, at 

 least with us, but which is probably more variable in England, where 

 the NOCTUJE are modified very much according to locality. These are, 

 the N. redacta, Icevis and sordida of Haworth, and C. ambigua, alsines and 

 implexa of Stephens ; but it is impossible for me to classify and describe 

 these varieties, which differ from the type only in characters as incon- 

 stant as they are slight " (' Noctuelles,' vol. v., p. 246). Of the 

 similarity between alsines and blanda, ' Newman writes : " Few 

 entomologists distinguish accurately between this and the preceding, 

 and therefore, the published localities for the two species are not 

 trustworthy ; they are exceedingly similar, the principal distinction 

 being in the tint of colour, alsines having a tendency to ochreous, 

 blanda to obscure purple and rosy ; nevertheless, there can be no doubt 

 as to their distinctness, the caterpillars being so different " (' British 

 Moths,' p. 314). Guenee writes of Hiibner's type: "Taraxaci 

 has the superior wings of a less rosy tint (than blanda, Gn.), 

 more blackish, with a light reddish tint on the disc, the subterminal 

 line a little less waved ; the inferior wings of a more yellowish 

 tint " (' Noctuelles,' vol. v., p. 246). Taking Hiibner's dark brownish 

 form without a purplish tinge, therefore, as the type, the following 

 is a summarised list of the named varieties : 

 1. Eeddish-brown, with distinct stigmata and transverse markings = 



taraxaci, Hb. 

 2. Reddish-brown, with indistinct stigmata and transverse markings 



= sordida, Haw. 

 3. Ashy-brown, with distinct stigmata and transverse markings = 



ambigua, St. 

 4. Ashy-brown, with indistinct stigmata and transverse markings = 



redacta, Haw. 



5. Fuscous, distinctly tinged with purplish = blanda, Gn. 

 6. Fuscous, with distinct stigmata and transverse markings = egens, 



Haw. 

 6x. Fuscous, with indistinct stigmata and transverse markings and 



reniform outlined in white = alsines, Wood. 

 7. Fuscous, with indistinct transverse lines and stigmata = lamia, 



Wood (wow Haw.). 



a. var. sordida, Haw. This var. is dull reddish, with two indis- 

 tinct strigse, the stigmata also obliterated except the outer margin. 

 It is, like the type, very closely allied to true alsines, approaching it 

 very nearly in ground colour, but with the characteristic transverse 

 lines of alsines obliterated. Haworth thus describes this form : "Ale 

 superiores rufescentes ; pone medium strig86 duae fere obliterates. 

 Stigmata ordinaria obsoletissima, margine solum vix conspicua ; ante- 

 rius orbiculare evanescente exterius reniforme et ad latus interius 



