IN THE BRITISH ISLANDS. 65 



With regard to the general variation of this species, Guene'e writes : 

 " It varies prodigiously, but it is very difficult to classify the varieties, 

 which are very inconstant. Picea, Haw., 170, appears to be a small 

 variety of tke female." " It (the species) is found in Canada without 

 any modifications" (' Noctuelles,' vol. v., p. 280). In Humphrey and 

 Westwood's 'British Moths,' p. 124, we find: "This species is ex- 

 tremely variable in its colour as well as markings. The ordinary 

 varieties of this species are very common." The classification of these 

 various forms is a most difficult matter, but I propose only dealing 

 with the most marked forms. The following table appears to cover 

 most of these : 



1. Ground colour of the anterior wings of the males pale whitish- 

 grey, stigmata and transverse lines more or less distinct ; in 

 females, ground colour not quite so clear = var. pallida. 



la. Ground colour grey, with distinct reddish costa = var. costata. 



2. Ground colour clear fuscous, central area rather paler, lines, &c., 

 as in No. 1 = exdamationis, Linn. 



3. Ground colour black-grey, lines, &c., as in No. 1* = var. picea, 

 Haw. 



4. Ground colour clear reddish-grey, lines, &c., as in No. 1 = var. 

 rufescens. 



5. Ground colour dark reddish-brown, lines, &c., as in No. 1 = var. 

 brunnea. 



The above table is based on the ground colour of the anterior 

 wings. Based on the character of the stigmata we get the following 

 forms : 



1. The 3 stigmata entirely or almost entirely absent = var. obsoleta. 

 2. The orbicular absent, the other stigmata distinct = var. unicolor, 



Hb. (?). 

 3. The orbicular and reniform joined, sometimes forming a straight 



line = var. plaga, St. 

 4. The orbicular, reniform and claviform all united = var. junctd. 



Of course combinations of any form of the first group may occur 

 with any form of the second group, I would suggest the combination 

 of the two names to distinguish these particular forms. One other 

 striking form occurs worthy of a name. This is due to the stigmata, 

 especially the reniform, breaking into lineolaB, which sometimes assume 

 the form of a series of dark, vein-like longitudinal marks through the 

 reniform area of the wing, as in fig. 1, p. 326, of Newman's ' British 

 Moths.' Such specimens I have called var. lineolatus. 



a. var. pallida, mihi. The anterior wings of the males of a pale 

 whitish-grey colour, the basal and elbowed lines fairly distinct, as also 

 are the orbicular, reniform and claviform stigmata. The hind wings 

 white. The females of this variety have the ground colour of a 

 rather darker shade, and the hind wings also darker. 



13. var. costata, mihi. This variety has the anterior wings of a 

 greyish ground colour, with the costa broadly reddish, the transverse 

 lines and stigmata becoming obsolete in the costal area, but well 

 developed in the central area and towards the inner margin. It is the 

 var. a of Haworth, who writes : " Ala3 anticas fuscse vel fuscescentes 

 costa subinde tinctura purpurei. Striga basi imperfecta repanda nigra, 

 interdum pallido adnata ; altcra simillima ante medium qua3 exserit 



