18 VAUIETIES OF 



l.-With distinct markings = valligera, 

 Bork. 



D. Brownish or reddish- I la.-With basal-half brown = valligera, 



brown 1 Hb. 



2. With more or less obsolete markings 

 = brunnea-obsoleta. 



l.-With distinct markings = nigra 

 , = var. B, Guenee. 



E. Blackish-fuscous ......... ^ 2.-With more or less obsolete markings 



= nigra-obsoleta. 



? a. var. signata, Bdv. This would, according to Guenee, be a pale 

 variety of vestigialis, with markings almost absent. I have specimens 

 from Deal in which the markings are practically undeveloped in the 

 palest forms. Guenee thus writes of signata: "The unique specimen 

 of this supposed species, which had been taken at Alsace according to 

 De Villers, has been destroyed, and the Noctua has not been found 

 since. M. Boisduval himself now thinks that this signata was only a 

 pale variety of valligera. I cannot myself form an opinion, never 

 having seen the specimen in question " (' Noctuelles', vol. v., p. 264). 



/?. var. sagittiferus, Haw. This is probably the commonest form 

 in England, being of a greyish colour, much suffused with fuscous, but 

 with the darker markings standing out conspicuously. Haworth 

 thus describes this dark grey form : " Alis griseis fusco nebu- 

 losis, costa fusca punctis griseis, strigaque postica punctorum 

 sagittatorum." " Affinis Bombyx gramineo, et duplo major. Maris 

 antennae pectinatae griseae. Alse anticae griseas fusco aliquo nebulosae, 

 stigmatibus ordinariis, anticum parvum ocellare, punctulo nigro pro 

 pupilla, iride late albida nigro cincta ; stigma posticum magnum reni- 

 forme nigrum albo nigroque cinctuin. Stigma tertium maximum 

 clavif orme fere ad basin alae attingens sed aliquo interruptum. Versus 

 marginem posticum striga undata punctorum sagittatorum, ciliisque 

 immaculatis." Haworth also mentions a sub-var. /?., which he 

 describes as : " ciliis fusco punctatis " (' Lepidoptera Britannica,' pp. 

 118-119, No. 66). This form is really a development of the paler 

 type, the type having a tendency to be more of a whitish ground 

 colour, this to become darker grey, the females have sometimes a 

 tendency to exhibit a greenish tinge, owing to the presence of ochreous 

 scales mixed with the grey or fuscous ground colour. This form 

 seems to be common in all British localities. 



7. var. trigonalis, Esp. Esper's trigonalis is described by him 

 ('Die Schmet. in Abbildungen' &c., p. 382) as: "Alis deflexis 

 cinerascentibus fascia macularum trigonarum, stigmate reniformi fusco, 

 et circiuali albo." His fig. 6, plate 75 represents a small male vestigi- 

 alis of a dusky grey colour with duskier outer margin, three wedge- 

 shaped spots, large reniform (dark internally), large dark clavif orm 

 on the basal line. Hind wings dark grey, darker lunule, and a dark 

 shade parallel to the hind margin. I have received small varieties 

 almost identical with this from Mr. Kuss of Sligo, and Mr. T. Baxter 

 of S. Anne's-on-Sea. Guenee says of it : " Very small, almost white, 

 the clavif orm large and well developed, the outer edge darker " 

 ( Noctuelles,' vol. v., p. 263). 



