

IN THE BRITISH ISLANDS. 33 



which is spotted with black ; posterior wings dusky. I obtained this 

 variety from the cabinet of Mr. Stone. Var. 8. Light brown, the 

 markings very obsolete, except a few yellow dots upon the costa. 

 Var. 9, ruris. Anterior wings light brown or reddish, with various 

 yellow spots and streaks, the ordinary stigmata tinged with yellow. 

 Var. 10. Red-brown, with two transverse strigse and a row of dots 

 near the posterior margin, yellow ; posterior wings white, with a well 

 defined fimbria, margin fuscous. Var. 11. All the wings red-brown, 

 with the stigmata a little paler. Var. 12, obeliscata. Anterior wings 

 red-brown, with a long black spot interrupted by the anterior stigma 

 and based upon the posterior. I obtained this variety from the cabinet 

 of the late Mr. Haworth as his type of obeliscata. The above con- 

 necting links are described from specimens in my collection. The 

 vast number of specimens I have examined, sent to me from different 

 parts of the country for that purpose, varying from a dingy black to 

 a light red, with all the intermediate grades of character and tints of 

 colour, have convinced me that they all constitute but one inconstant 

 species." It will be seen that Bentley's application of the varietal 

 names is not always strictly correct, but he seems to have had, for his 

 time, a remarkable knowledge of the range of variation in this 

 particular species. It is frequently difficult to locate various varieties, 

 and different authors repeatedly use the same name for entirely 

 different varieties. It may be here remarked, that the palest forms of 

 nigricans are generally obtained in the more southern localities in 

 Britain, but, that in Lancashire and in various Scotch localities, the 

 fuscous and black varieties are almost the only forms to be met with. 



The following table illustrates the range of variation in the 

 species : 



A. Ground colour grey. 



1. Grey with reddish tinge, stigmata and strigse almost obsolete 



= pallida. 

 2. Grey with reddish tinge, stigmata and strigae yellow = flavo- 



pallida. 



B. Ground colour pale reddish. 

 1. Red, with stigmata and strigae of a paler shade of ground colour 



= rufa. 



2. Red, with stigmata and strigae yellow = ruris t Haw. 

 3. Red, with a dark patch between the stigmata = obeliscata, Haw. 

 4. Red, with the stigmata, transverse strigae and longitudinal dashes 



along nervures bright ochreous = striata. 

 5. Red, with characters of 3 and 4 combined = rufo-variegata. 



C. Ground colour dark reddish-brown. 

 1. Reddish-fuscous, with stigmata and strigae of a paler shade o.i 



ground colour = rubricans, Esp. 

 2. Reddish-brown, with transverse strigae and stigmata yellow = vilis, 



Hb. 

 3. Reddish-fuscous, with dark quadrate spot between orbicular and 



reniform = quadrata. 

 4. Reddish-fuscous, with transverse strigae nearly obsolete, but 



stigmata and transverse shades along nervures ochreous = 



ochrea. 



D 



