140 VARIETIES OF NOOTU^E 



rufescens " (' Lepidoptera Britannica,' p. 120). Of ncbulnsns, Guenee 

 writes : " The median shade is very contracted, very dark and in- 

 terrupted in the middle, three principal ferruginous dots are noticeable 

 on the subterminal. The series of dots is very marked. The com- 

 plete basal line is ferruginous and generally traceable. The thorax 

 has a reddish tint. The ground colour of the wing is lilac-grey " 

 (' Noctuelles,' vol. v., p. 351). This is, perhaps, one of the most 

 common forms obtainable in some parts of Scotland, almost all my 

 specimens from Forres being of this variety or var. trigutta. I have 

 also specimens from Hereford, Morpeth, Nottingham and Warrington. 



8. var. subsetaceus, Haw. Haworth's description of this variety is 

 as follows : " Bombyx. Alis cinerascentibus griseo-nebulosis, lunulis 

 tribus griseis ad strigam posticam albicantem." " Simillima praecedenti 

 (nebulosus) et fere eadem. Antennas (in mare) oculo nudo minime 

 pectinatae ; stigmata albo cincta ; inter hgec macula griseo ferruginea, 

 alteraque opposita ad marginem tenuiorem. Ala3 posticae fuscse." 

 " OBS. Variat magis minusque nebulosa, sed lunulaa posticse extrorsum 

 spectantes, in alis anticis semper remanent " (< Lepidoptera Britannica,' 

 pp. 120-121). This form is much like the preceding, but instead of 

 a distinctly darker, transverse median shade, this is but very little 

 darker than the ground colour, and only the outlines of the stigmata 

 and the subterminal line stand out conspicuously paler. My speci- 

 mens have come from Hereford, Nottingham, Guestling and Darlington. 

 Guenee refers subsetaceus to collinita, Esp., a var. of gracflis, an obvious 

 error. This would appear to be Guene'e's var. C, of which he 

 wr ites : " The ferruginous colour is much mixed with bluish ashy-grey, 

 above all at the base, on the costa and on the terminal space. The 

 subterminal line is, however, distinct, and bordered with red through- 

 out its length " (' Noctuelles,' vol. v., p. 351). 



e. var. trigutta, Esp. Esper's var. trigutta may be described as 

 having " the anterior wings pale grey, tinged with reddish-fuscous, 

 more especially on the inner margin. There is a distinct, transverse 

 central shade, with a black apical mark. The hind wings grey, with 

 a transverse row of black dots " (' Die Schmet. in Abbildungen,' Plate 

 147, fig. 4). This, as I have previously mentioned, is also a common 

 Scotch variety. I have specimens from Forres, Nottingham, Winch- 

 field, Morpeth, Bournemouth, Darlington, Hereford, Warrington and 

 Germany. 



. var. rufo-grisea, mihi. This is really a sub- var. of trigutta, Esp., 

 with the median shade much reduced and the general markings more 

 indistinct, although both are generally traceable. My specimens of 

 this more unicolorous reddish-grey form came chiefly from Forres. 



77. var. virgata-brunnea, mihi. In this variety the grey is reduced 

 to a minimum, the prevailing colour being dark brown. The median 

 shade, however, stands out conspicuously. With the next (unicolor- 

 brunnea), this forms a transition between var. trigutta and the vars. 

 instabilis of Hiibner and Esper. I have specimens from Hull, Notting- 

 ham, Hereford, Warrington, Morpeth, Darlington and Germany. 

 Sub- var. unicolor-brunnea is like the preceding in ground colour, but 

 still more unicolorous, the median shade almost obsolete and absorbed 

 into the surrounding area. My specimens have come from Hereford, 

 Darlington, Hastings, Forres, Hull and Nottingham. 



0. var. instabilis, Hb. This is the first of the really deep-coloured 

 varieties which are so striking in this species. " The anterior wings 



