IN THE BRITISH ISLANDS. 145 



are the most noteworthy. The orbicular varies much in size, shape 

 and position, and, whilst generally of the ground colour, is sometimes 

 filled in with darker ; the renif orm may consist of a simple pale outline, 

 but generally the lower part is filled in with black, and it then becomes 

 very striking ; the claviform is generally distinct. As is frequently 

 the case in the genus, the orbicular and reniform are sometimes united. 

 The basal lines are generally indistinct and sometimes obsolete. The 

 elbowed line has a series of dots on its outer edge, and these occa- 

 sionally show a tendency to form a wavy line. The subterminal line 

 is generally very pale, sometimes edged with darker inside, whilst 

 occasionally it is unicolorous with the rest of the wing. The base of 

 the hind wings is generally white, the outer area being dark grey ; 

 sometimes there is a row of dots on the nervures ; but none of these 

 differences are sexual, as frequently the females and males have 

 entirely pale hind wings and vice versa ; the hind wings of the females 

 are, on the whole, paler than those of the males. The fringes are 

 occasionally tinged with rosy. 



The following is an attempt to classify the principal forms : 



1. Pale greyish- white, not mottled with black atoms = var. pallida, 



St. 

 la. Pale greyish- white, much mottled with black scales = var. 



sparsus, Haw. 

 Ib. Pale greyish- white, subterminal line ochreous (yellowish) = 



gracilis, Fab. 

 2. Pale-reddish or orange, not mottled with black scales = var. rosea 



(pallida, Gn.). 

 2a. Pale-reddish or orange, mottled with black scales = var. rosea- 



sparsus. 



3. Almost unicolorous dark-red = var. rufescens, Ckll. (<Ent.,'xxii., 4.) 

 4. Almost unicolorous dark-brown = var. brunnea. 



a. var. pallida, St. This is the palest form of the species, of an 

 uniform greyish-white with very few darker markings and dark 

 scales. The most conspicuous mark on these pale specimens is the 

 dark shading in the lower part of the reniform. This is sometimes, 

 however, absent, and the specimen is then almost unicolorous. 

 Stephens' diagnosis is : " Alls uniformiter pallescentibus, striga 

 postica rufa extus albida, aliaque punctorum, stigmatibus pallido mar- 

 ginatis" ('Illus. Haust.' (1829), p. 143). My specimens of this form 

 have come from Seaton, Hereford, S. Anne's-on-Sea and Ireland. 



/3. var. sparsus, Haw. There is practically no difference between 

 this and the Fabrician type, except that the latter has an orange or 

 reddish subterminal line, while this has a grey one. Haworth's 

 description is : " Bombyx. Alis griseo-cinereis atomis f uscis, strigaque 

 postica fusco-alba. Femina tota griseo-cinerea atomis f uscis minutis- 

 simis, strigaque punctorum fuscorum pone stigmata fuscescentia. Versus 

 marginem posticum striga fuscescens extus albicans. Alse posticae 

 cinerese fimbria lata fuscescente " (' Lepidoptera Britannica,' pp. 122- 

 123). My specimens have come from Wicken, Brecon, S. Anne's-on- 

 Sea, Darlington and Wallasey. 



y. var. rosea, mihi. (= pallida, Gn.) Guenee's description is : 

 " Of a paler colour, more rosy, and almost without black atoms " 

 (' Noctuelles,' vol. v., p. 356). Gueuee erroneously referred this to 

 Stephens' pallida, which is in reality a white form. I have some very 



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