IN THE BRITISH ISLANDS. 17 



developed. All these markings, however, pass through every possible 

 gradation from almost total obliteration to an extraordinary clear 

 development. Thus the claviform often becomes a deep black streak 

 across the wing below the stigmata, the wedge-shaped spots become 

 linear markings extending from the elbowed line to the outer margin 

 of the wing, and so on. The reniform and orbicular vary in size, 

 shape and position, occasionally being in contact with each other. 

 The vestigialis of Hufnagel is unrecognisable, but Kottemburg thus 

 defines the species : " This moth has, as I believe, never been described 

 except by Hufnagel. The ground colour of fore wings with some is 

 whitish-grey, with others whitish-brown. Hind wings are dirty white, 

 towards the outer margin ashy-grey. Its marks of distinction are difficult 

 to describe, but the principal ones are the following. Close to the base 

 of the fore wings is a very short but strong black line, after this 

 follows, more towards the middle and the inner margin, a long dark 

 brown spot, convex towards the tip, but enclosed in a black hook 

 towards the base. Next to this stands a very small oval spot, which 

 is white, but lined with a black line. Close to this, nearer the tip, is 

 a large kidney-shaped spot, which is dark brown in the middle, white 

 on the margin, and surrounded by a black line. Then follows a row 

 of dark brown lines, which runs parallel with the outer margin and 

 represent an interrupted band. The moth is the same size as Ph. 

 chrysorrhcea " (' Naturforscher,' viii., 107). 



Vieweg's vestigialis is the same as the type. His description is : 

 " Alis incumbentibus cano fuscoque variis : litura baseos strigisque 

 longitudinalibus atris ad marginem posticum " (' Tabellarisches 

 Verzeichniss' &c., No. 30). There is a great deal of variation in size, 

 some specimens being exceedingly small, not so large as average-sized 

 A. puta. With regard to the variation in size and colour Mr. Gregson 

 writes of the Lancashire specimens : " I have selected a long series 

 varying in size from less than an inch in expansion to 1 inch 6J lines, 

 and in colour from light drab to rich pinky-brown, and also to deep 

 rich dull brown." The specimens can chiefly be classed as coming 

 under the head of whitish-grey, greyish-fuscous, reddish-brown, or 

 black, and in each there are two forms, one, in which most of the 

 markings are obsolete, and the ground colour obscured ; the other, in 

 which the markings are well developed. Many of the specimens are 

 slightly tinged with ochreous and occasionally some of the specimens 

 are tinted with delicate reddish. We thus get the following forms : 



( l.-With distinct markings = vestigialis, 



Kott. = valligera, Fab. 

 j 1 a.- With the cuneiform marks extended 



A. Whitish-grey or pale-grey-] to outer margin = sub- var.Zmeotota. 



2.-With more or less obsolete markings 

 ? signata, Bdv. 



1 .-Withdistinct ma,Tkmg8=sagittiferu8, 



B. Greyish-fuscous ^ 2.- With more or less obsolete markings 



= trigonalis, Esp. 



C. Pale reddish-ochreous ... 1 .-With distinct markings = clwis, Esp. 



