152 VARIETIES OF NOCTUJE 



either side ; the subterminal line and reniform outlined with yellowish. 

 The inside of the reniform filled in with dark" (' Tabellarisches 

 Verzeichniss,' p. 12; p. 14 by error, in Staudinger's ' Catalog,' p. 113). 

 I have two very marked sub- varieties of the type ; in one of these the 

 basal and elbowed lines are distinctly black and wavy throughout 

 their length, with a distinct black central shade. In the second, the 

 space between the dark central shade and the pale subterminal line is 

 darker than the ground colour, thus forming a transverse band. The 

 former specimen came from Morpeth, the latter from Hereford. There 

 are two essential ground colours on which the variation is based ; in one 

 of these, grey is the prevailing colour, in the other, red. 



The following are the principal forms : 



1. Pale stone-grey (sometimes slightly ochreous) = var. pallida. 



2. Dark grey = var. obliqua, Vill. 



3. Brownish or blackish-grey = stabilis, Hb. = var. suffusa. 



4. Pale reddish-grey = cerasi, Fab. = cerasus, Haw. = stabilis, View. 



5. Bright red = var. rufa. 



6. Dark reddish = var. rufannulata, Haw. 



a. var. pallida, mihi. This pale form of stabilis is paler than the 

 palest opima, and almost as pale as the palest gracilis. It has not, how- 

 ever, the clear grey of gracilis, and contains more ochreous than the 

 palest form of opima. There is an indistinct abbreviated basal line, 

 followed by a complete one, the latter sometimes edged externally 

 with dark shading ; the reniform and orbicular are surrounded with 

 pale, sometimes quite distinct, at others, joined and forming a longitu- 

 dinal mark resembling the figure 8 ; although distinct in the darker 

 forms, the claviform is very indistinct in this paler variety ; the 

 elbowed line is faint, sometimes edged externally with a row of 

 minute dots ; the subterminal is pale, shaded internally with darker 

 (generally reddish). There are occasional traces of a central band. 

 My specimens have come from Morpeth, Hereford, Somerset, Warring- 

 ton, Carlisle, Pitcaple and Torres. 



P. var. obliqua, Vill. This dark grey form of stabilis is much 

 commoner than the last. It is similar to var. pallida, but has the 

 ground colour powdered very much with dark scales. Not only is 

 the ground colour darkened, but the pale markings stand out more 

 strikingly pale, by reason of the darker edging to them, and the 

 central shade, sometimes passing through the reniform, is generally 

 distinct and well-developed. The stigmata vary in position etc., as 

 in the last variety. My specimens have come from Sligo, Hull, 

 Hereford, Morpeth, Birmingham, Halstead, Rannoch, Darlington, 

 Clevedon and Galashiels. 



y. var. suffusa, mihi = stabilis, Hb. In this variety, the whole 

 area of the wing becomes suffused with black scales. The general 

 colour is usually blackish-grey, but is sometimes brownish, owing to 

 a red tint in the ground colour. The outlines of the reniform and 

 orbicular and the subterminal line, are very pale and distinctly 

 marked ; the central shade is generally very dark and well marked. 

 My specimens have come from Tilgate Forest and Hereford. Hiibner's 

 stabilis may be described as : " Anterior wings of a dull, dark greyish- 

 brown, with two black wavy transverse basal Hues. The three 

 stigmata outlined in paler ; the elbowed line wavy ; the ground 

 colour of the wing beyond this to the outer margin, paler ; the sub- 



