6 VARIETIES OF NOCTU^! 



red specimen from the Hebrides, much paler than those obtained in 

 the south of England. 



e. var. ceqna, Hb. This variety has been described differently by 

 almost every different author, and sometimes even by the same author. 

 The type of this variety is represented by Hiibner's fig. 564, which 

 may be described as : " The anterior wings pale reddish-brown, 

 slightly paler on the costa, an abbreviated and a complete basal striga 

 precede the grey orbicular and reniform which are outlined in black, 

 beyond the reniform is an indistinct transverse row of dots with a 

 pale wavy line near the hind margin. The transverse lines commence 

 on the costa as short black costal streaks, with two others over the 

 reniform. Hind wings dark grey, paler base, dark lunule " (' Samm- 

 lung europaischer Schmet.' &c.). Geyer also figures in the same work, 

 dark brown variety with a pale costa, as cequa (fig. 811), also 

 (fig. 812) a deep black variety with a very narrow ochreous costal 

 streak, under the same name. 



. var. brunnea, mihi. The anterior wings of a bright ochreous- 

 brown colour, with the transverse lines and stigmata very clearly 

 marked in black. This is perhaps the most clearly marked form of 

 the species. 



77. var. majuscula, Haw. This black form is very uncommon in 

 Britain, and I do not remember having seen a specimen of this form. 

 Haworth treats it as a distinct species and describes it as : " Alis 

 griseo-f uscis vel piceo-nigris, stigmatibus tribus subobliteratis : posticis 

 fuliginoso-albis tinctura violacei, venis margineque postico, angulum 

 ani versus prsecipue, nigris " (' Lepidoptera Britannica,' p. 218). 



6. var. stictica, Blanchard, in Gay's ' Fauna Chilena,' vii., p. 73, 

 No. 1 ; PI. 6, fig. 8 (1854). This is called a variety of ypsilon, Rott., 

 by Butler (< Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond.,' 1889, p. 380) who writes : " The 

 variety A. stictica is the most extreme variegated form of the species." 

 Mr. Butler also mentions another,-" var. Agr. impacta, Walker, ' Lep. 

 Het.,' x., p. 337, No. 71 (1856)." It is beyond question that both 

 these are varieties of A. saucia and not A. ypsilon at all ; in fact, they 

 were referred to saucia as probable vars., by Mr. T. D. A. Cockerell in 

 a letter to me before Mr. Butler's notes appeared. My own note of 

 this variety (taken from the type in the British Museum collection) 

 is: "This is a really well-marked variety of saucia, much variegated 

 with paler. The basal area of the anterior wings paler, the double 

 basal lines being darker ; orbicular whitish, reniform outlined in 

 whitish, with a dark transverse central shade between the stigmata, 

 but just touching the inside of the reniform ; outer edge of wing pale 

 from apex to anal angle, the subterminal and elbowed lines distinct 

 and double ; costal margin paler. Hind wings dark grey with a paler 

 base." The original diagnosis is as follows : " Spcelotis stictica. Pal- 

 lide luteo-cinerascens ; alis anticis concoloribus nitidis, atomis 

 obscurioribus adspersis, maculis ordinariis vix distinctis ; posticis 

 albidis, apice cinerascentibus." " Coquimbo " (' Fauna Chilena,' p. 

 73). 



Besides var. stictica, the following American varieties of A. saucia, 

 the types of which I have examined in the British Museum collection, 

 have also been described. 



a. var. di/erens, Walker (' Lep. Het.', x., p. 337). This is described 

 as follows : " Male. Ferruginous-brown. Antennae minutely setose. 



