66 VARIETIES OP NOCTU^! 



stigma teliforme nigrum vel atrum : tune stigina anterius ordinarium 

 annulare pupilla nigra : tune reniforme latum, vel fere cordiforme etiam 

 nigrum : tandem striga arcuata denticulata extus pallida ; denique 

 striga quarta undata itidem pallida juxta marginem posticum, quse 

 subinde evanescit. Alas posticse maris, albae costa margineque cinereis, 

 ciliis lutescentibus ; femina3 fuscae basi cinerascentes " (' Lepidoptera 

 Britannica', pp. 219-220). 



y. var. picea, Haw. This is described by Ha worth as : " Noctua. 

 Alis piceo-nigricantibus stigmatibus ordinariis rotundatis nigris." 

 " Prsecedenti (exclamationis) nimis affinis. Differt, longe minor, alis 

 saturatioribus absque strigis Stigmata duo antica oblonga ; tertium 

 stigma subrotundum, nee ullo modo reniforme vel cordiforme. Postica3 

 alae omnino fuscae ciliis albis. Exemplarium unicum feminse solum 

 vidi " (< Lepidoptera Britannica,' p. 220). In Humphrey and 

 Westwood's ' British Moths/ we read : " Picea, Haw. is a black form of 

 the ? , and has the fore wings of a pitchy-black colour without strigaa, 

 and with the two basal stigmata oblong and the outer one round and 

 black. The hind wings are brown." 



8. var. rufescens, mini. This, probably, is one of the commonest 

 varieties of the species. It is certainly Haworth's var. /3, of which he 

 writes : " Alis ruf escentibus, posticis f eminae basi albis " (' Lepidoptera 

 Britannica,' p. 220). The anterior wings are of a clear reddish-grey, 

 intermediate in shade between the grey of var. pallida, and the dark 

 reddish-brown of var. brunnea ; the transverse lines and stigmata are 

 generally clearly and well developed in both sexes, but the hind wings 

 of the females are darker than those of the males. 



. var. brunnea, mihi. This is undoubtedly the var. y of Haworth, 

 who writes : " Alis utroque sexu longe saturatioribus strigis magis 

 obliteratis, posticis f eminae perfuscis, basi cinereis " (' Lepidoptera 

 Britannica,' p. 220). This is another common variety, the anterior 

 wings of a dark reddish-brown, much darker than in var. rufescens, 

 with very dark strigaa and stigmata, sometimes not so distinct as in the 

 paler varieties ; the hind wings also comparatively dark. 



The following varieties are based on peculiarities in connection with 

 the stigmata : 



a. var. obsoleta, mihi. The anterior wings of a pale greyish- 

 brown without any transverse lines or stigmata. A specimen of this 

 variety was sent to me for examination last year (1890) as a new 

 Leucania, so deceptive was its superficial appearance. This was taken 

 at Dulwich. I have a specimen in my collection perhaps not quite so 

 pale as the one just mentioned, but equally clear as to the absence of 

 the markings. This latter was taken by Mr. Esson at Aberdeen. 

 These are the only specimens I have seen of this perfectly obsolete 

 variety. 



ft. var. unicolor, Hb. I believe this to be a var. of exclamationis. 

 Hiibner's figure may be described as follows : " Fore wings dark 

 reddish-brown with the discoidal stigmata outlined in dark. Hind 

 wings grey, the outer margin reddish, nervures almost black " 

 (' Sammlung europaischer Schmet.,' fig. 544). My specimens, which I 

 refer to this variety, are of a reddish-brown ; somewhat similar to 

 var. obsoleta in the absence of transverse strigse, with the orbicular 

 absent or imperfectly developed, but the other stigmata distinct. 

 Guenee refers Hiibner's unicolor to aquilina, but Treitschke considers it 

 a var. of exclamationis. 



