14:8 VARIETIES OP NOOTU2B 



form from the large number of the species that has passed through 

 my hands. 



e. var. nigra, mihi. I have never seen but one black specimen of 

 populeti, and that was given to me by Dr. Chapman. The ground colour 

 of the anterior wings is quite black; these have slightly paler tran verse 

 lines with very dark edging ; there is a pale ring to the orbicular and 

 to the reniform, whilst the characteristic black dots on the subter- 

 minal are of a dark red-brown colour. My specimen came from 

 Hereford. 



Tceniocampa, Gn., gothica, Linn. 



This is certainly, next to instabilis, the most protean of all our 

 Tceniocampid species. In ground colour, it varies from a clear greyish- 

 white through almost every shade of pale reddish-grey, bright red and 

 purplish-red to dark brownish-fuscous or even blackish-fuscous. The 

 anterior wings are sometimes uniformly coloured, at other times much 

 mottled, especially between the elbowed and subterminal lines. But 

 the great character in the species is the variation in the characteristic 

 i j-like character round the orbicular, from which it has received its 

 specific name. This varies in colour from deep black and red-brown 

 to a pale reddish-grey, and in shape, from the typical form just 

 mentioned to complete obsolescence. Sometimes only the quadrate 

 mark between the stigmata is present, at others, the two quadrate 

 marks, the one between the stigmata and the one beyond the orbicular 

 are present, but with no basal line joining them. Occasionally, the 

 spot between the stigmata and the basal line is present, but not the 

 one beyond the orbicular. One of the most rare modifications in this 

 character, is for the basal line joining these spots, to assume a curved 

 or arched form. I am indebted to Dr. Chapman for the forms I have. 

 The form in which this dark gothica-mark becomes reduced almost to 

 the ground colour, has been called gothicina, H.-S. in Britain, but 

 almost every colour variety has its gothicma-like form. Another 

 strange mark, the origin of which appears difficult to explain, is the 

 short longitudinal mark under the reniform. Where an { j -like mark 

 occurs, as in Apamea, Miana &c., it is easy to trace it as a modification 

 of the claviform. Here it is nothing of the kind. The mark originates 

 on the elbowed line, not on the basal line, and, whilst generally 

 extending to the apex of the claviform, in some specimens it actually 

 obliterates it. The claviform is indistinct, very pale, with no darker 

 outline to make it conspicuous, and varies very much according as the 

 small, longitudinal line just mentioned encroaches more or less on its 

 area. The transverse lines are generally fairly distinct, forming small 

 black costal streaks at their commencement. The subterminal line, 

 near the anal angle, developes a distinct lunular mark, but the most 

 prominent character of the transverse lines, is the occasional develop- 

 ment of a broken black inner margin to the elbowed line throughout 

 the whole of its length. Of this species, Guenee writes : " It varies 

 a little, especially in colour, which is of a violet tint, more or less 

 blackish or reddish, but never sufficiently constant to form two races, 

 although the old authors divided it into two species. It is clear that 

 Fabricius himself perceived that this sub-division was of little value, 

 ' Nimis aifinis gothicce,' he said. Hiibner has figured a very strange 

 variety, otherwise it would not be necessary to refer to his plate, 

 which is, in all respects, inferior to that of Enoch " (' Noctuelles/ vol. 



