124 VAHIET1E9 OF NOCTUJE 



a reddish cinnamon- brown. Near the hind margin runs a nearly obso- 

 lete, somewhat lighter, transverse line. In the centre of the wing are 

 an orbicular and a reniform stigma, whilst between them is a dark 

 brown quadrate spot ; the stigmata are of a brownish-grey colour ; 

 beneath the orbicular lies a small, black, triangular spot outlined in 

 pale. A few grey dots are on the costa near the apex. The hind 

 wings are light grey, their hind margin light reddish-brown " (' Tabel- 

 larisches Verzeichniss,' p. 57, No. 86). Of this species we appear to 

 get two forms, the darker reddish-brown form = the type, and a pale 

 brighter red form = quadratum, Hb. Mr. Walker also records the 

 capture of a " bright yellow " variety, in the ' Entomologist's Record,' 

 vol. ii., p. 184, taken near York. Guene'e writes : " It is very 

 subject to variation, and it is because they have not recognised the 

 species, that different authors have given it so many names ; but there 

 is no fixity in its modifications " (' Noctuelles,' v., p. 334). In England, 

 on the contrary, there is very little variation except in depth of ground 

 colour, the darkest specimens being somewhat suffused, the brightest 

 being quite red in colour. This coloration in England becomes almost 

 seasonally dimorphic, the greater number of specimens in the spring or 

 early summer brood being bright red, those of the autumn brood being 

 dark ; but dark specimens sometimes occur in the spring brood and 

 bright red ones in the autumn brood. 



a. var. quadratum, Hb. The bright red form of rubi is the quadra- 

 tum of Hiibner. " The anterior wings are bright red in colour, the 

 basal, elbowed and subterminal transverse lines are all pale, edged 

 with darker ; the reniform and the outer edge of the orbicular are out- 

 lined in ochreous, whilst the dark red quadrate spot between the 

 stigmata is also edged with ochreous. Hind wings grey, reddish on the 

 hind margin " ( Sammlung europ. Schmet.,' fig. 477). This red form is 

 captured in all localities with the darker type. 



Noctua, Linn., umbrosa, Hb. 



This is one of the most constant species in the genus, a little 

 difference in depth of ground colour, and in the intensity of the 

 central transverse shade being all that is noticeable in a very long 

 series, so far as colour is concerned. The females show a tendency to 

 be smaller than the males, but this is not always so, some of the 

 females being of full size. Hiibner shows this size distinction in the 

 sexes, his fig. 457, the $ , being smaller than 456, the <? . Hubner's 

 type figure may be thus described : " cf . Anterior wings reddish- 

 brown (like our British specimens), with an abbreviated, followed by 

 a complete black basal line ; the stigmata outlined in blackish-brown, 

 the outer edge of claviform also similarly outlined, a dark transverse 

 shade from costa to inner margin passes between the stigmata ; the 

 elbowed line fine and dark, the subterminal dark red-brown. Pos- 

 terior wings ochreous, hind margin darker, with a still darker line 

 parallel to hind margin." " ? . The same colour as fig. 456, with 

 the same markings, but smaller in size " (' Sammlung europ. Schmet.,' 

 figs. 456-457). 



Noctua, Linn., xantograpJia (xanthographa), Fab. 



This is a most variable species in ground colour and in the 

 character of the stigmata. The ground colour varies from the palest grey 

 to black and deep red, and, whilst the stigmata are frequently unicolor- 



