34 VARIETIES OF NOOTUJK 



stigmata, which is sometimes almost linear, at others forming a com- 

 paratively large white quadrate spot. The ground colour is sometimes 

 redder than at others, the redder form being the concinna of Hiibner. 

 The type is thus described by Borkhausen : " The ground colour of 

 the fore wings is a dark grey-black, which sometimes becomes black- 

 brown, sometimes brownish-grey ; the ordinary lines run transversely 

 through the wings ; base white with black markings. In the middle 

 of the wing, towards the costa, is a large white spot in which are the 

 two ordinary stigmata with blackish rings surrounding them. The 

 hind margin is spotted with black ; the fringes are white and black. 

 The hind wings are blackish with paler bases " (' Naturgeschichte ' &c., 

 iv., 149). Of albimacula Mr. Robson writes : " Olive-brown with the 

 lines black, edged with white. The lines beyond the middle have the 

 white edges on the outside, those nearer the base have the white on 

 the inside. The stigmata are very distinct, white, with an olive shade 

 in the centre, but not so large as in most of the other species. I have 

 never seen any specimens of this insect that have been taken as imagines 

 in this country, and those reared in captivity have all been rather 

 smaller than Continental types. Continental examples also, so far as 

 my experience goes, are much paler in colour, having more of the olive 

 brown, which is of a paler shade ; the white stigmata are larger, and 

 the black marks smaller and fewer in number, although this may not 

 always be the case " (' Young Naturalist,' vol. iv., p. 183). 



a. var. concinna, Hb. " The anterior wings of a dark dull red 

 colour, with the upper part of the base white with an incomplete black 

 basal line ; the complete basal line white edged with black ; the stig- 

 mata outlined in white with a white costal patch above both stigmata, 

 and another white patch just below them ; the elbowed and subtermi- 

 nal lines white. Hind wings dark grey, base paler, dark nervures, 

 lunule and transverse line " (' Sammlung europ. Schmet.,' fig. 51). 



Dianthoecia, Bdv., conspersa, Esp. (nana, Eott.). 



This is a most interesting species and although its varieties are 

 practically unknown on the Continent, some of them have been 

 known for a very considerable time in England. For some years, a 

 beautiful variety captured on our west coast was confounded with 

 Dianthoecia (Luperina) barrettii ; but it was not until our professional 

 collectors brought us the wonderful varieties from the Shetland Isles 

 that we had any real knowledge of how great was the variation in 

 this species. Some of these Shetland examples resemble much the 

 west coast specimens, but others are very different. Of some of these 

 Shetland forms Herr Hoffmann writes : " The darkest of this 

 peculiar Shetland form would scarcely be taken for nana if the 

 lighter specimens did not form connecting links with the type. I saw 

 three males which may be compared with the normal form in the 

 following manner : Ground colour of a lighter or darker leaden- 

 grey with a greenish-yellow tint. In the lightest specimens the 

 white spots and markings of the normal type are distinct, there are 

 also traces of white colouring on the head and thorax. In the 2nd 

 specimen the white colouring is wanting entirely on the wings, but 

 white traces on the head and thorax are visible. In the 3rd and 

 darkest there are no white markings at all, it is simply lead-grey 



