IN THE BRITISH ISLANDS. 161 



portion of which is brick-red, the outer portion ochreous-grey ; both 

 colours are sharply defined and very distinct " (' British Moths,' p. 365). 

 Clerck's figure may be described as follows : " Anterior wings dark 

 grey or lead colour, with the extreme base dark ; the orbicular and 

 reniform outlined in yellowish ; a row of tiny black dots along nervure 

 parallel to inner margin; subterminal line yellowish; three black costal 

 spots between reniform and subterminal ; a treble transverse row of 

 dots occupying the position of the elbowed line " ('Icones,' pi. viii., 

 fig. 1). Hiibner's figure is (by error) called munda, and is of the typical 

 form. The following are the chief forms of variation : 

 1. Pale whitish-grey = var. pallida. 

 2. Dark grey or lead colour = lota, Cl. 

 3. Blackish = var. suffusa. 

 4. Eeddish var. rufa. 



a. var. pallida, mini. This appears to be the palest form of the 

 species. It is of a whitish-grey ground colour, the black reniform 

 spot and red edge to the subterminal stand out conspicuously. The 

 form is rare. I have it from Hartley Wintney, Bucks and Clevedon. 



/?. var suffusa, mihi. In this, the dark lead colour of the type h)is 

 become almost black. The dark ground colour makes the reniform 

 spot comparatively inconspicuous, there is also a distinct trace of the 

 central shade. I have only seen specimens from Sligo, where my 

 specimens were captured by Mr. Percy Kuss. 



y. var. rufa, mihi. The anterior wings in this variety are of a 

 reddish tint. The only author who appears to figure this variety is 

 Duponchel (' Histoire naturelle' &c., supp., pi. xxvii., fig. 4), but the 

 figure is not a good one. The markings of this variety are the same 

 as those which characterise the type. The dark centre to the lower 

 part of the reniform, and the ochreous subterminal with its red inner 

 edge are very marked. I have specimens from Somerset, Chattenden, 

 Clevedon, Bucks, Darlington and Hartley Wirtney. 



Orthosia, Och., macilento, Hb. 



This interesting species not only exhibits a dimorphic tendency 

 in coloration, some specimens being of a dark, others of a pale ochreous 

 colour, but the dot, formed by the darkening of the lower part of the 

 reniform, and which was meniioned as being particularly characteristic 

 of lota, is in this species as frequently absent as present, so that in both 

 the dark ochreous and pale ochreous specimens, there are the two 

 forms, that without, and that with a conspicuous central black dot. 

 Some specimens have a distinct central shade, others again, have no 

 trace of it. The development of a complete row of dots following the 

 elbowed line occasionally occurs, whilst in other specimens there is 

 no trace of them ; the two basal lines also show some variation in their 

 development, but are represented by dots even in the best developed 

 specimens, the second dot in the abbreviated basal line almost looks 

 like a small longitudinal dash. Hiibner's type may be described as 

 follows : " Anterior wings bright brownish -(almost reddish-) ochreous, 

 with the second dot of the abbreviated basal line well developed, a 

 wavy line between this and the orbicular ; the orbicular outlined in 

 blackish, the reniform in pale, the lower part of the reniform filled in 

 with dark, an angulated central shade runs between the stigmata, whilst 

 the elbowed line is also wavy ; the subterminal pale, edged internally 

 with dark. Hind wings dark grey, base paler, dark lunule'" 



K 



