IN THE BRITISH ISLANDS. 65 



certain specimens of these species, there is frequently a tendency for 

 the darker red colour of the wing to increase at the expense of the 

 normally paler parts. 



Aplecta, Gn., prasina, Fab. 



There is a considerable difference in the green tint even of freshly 

 emerged examples. Some have the green almost white, whilst others 

 have it of a very deep shade. In some cases, too, the whole wing, ex- 

 cept the costal commencements of the transverse lines, is entirely 

 green, whilst in others the basal lines, central shade, stigmata and other 

 markings are dark, restricting the green area very much. I have one 

 dark reddish-brown specimen without any green coloration. Sub- 

 jected to ammonia or cyanide of potassium, the green becomes yellow, 

 and Guenee states that " mixta, Haworth, is only an old example in 

 which the green has faded to yellow " (' Noctuelles,' vi., p. 75). The 

 pale spot outside the reniform at the top of the angulated line is very 

 characteristic, but in those specimens in which the ground colour tends 

 to whitish-green, it becomes much less conspicuous. The type is thus 

 described by Fabricius : " Noctua cristata alis do ..lexis fusco viridique 

 variis : litnris duabus albis, thoracis crista diij lici." " Alse fuscse 

 nigro parum undatee viridique variae. Liturze dute magnae, altera ad 

 basin, altera pone medium. Posticse fuscas ciliis albis, subtus puncto 

 strigaque undata nigris " (' Mantissa,' p. 169). 



a. var. pallida, mihi. The anterior wings of a pale whitish-green 

 with only the upper parts of the basal and subterminal lines developed 

 as costal streaks, and with the costal end of the central shade developed 

 between the stigmata. The characteristic pale patch outside the 

 reniform is absorbed in the paler ground colour. This is the extreme 

 pale form. Pale coloured specimens also occur in which the transverse 

 lines and central shade are fairly complete. 



/?. var. suffusa, mihi. Anterior wings reddish-brown, with a black 

 area around and including the stigmata; a pale patch outside the 

 reniform as in the type, the transverse lines complete and black, out- 

 lined with pale greyish. I have only one specimen, and never saw 

 another of this dark form. 



y. var. jaspidea, Bork. Borkhausen writes of this: "Noctua. 

 Green mixed with dark grey, with whitish lines " (' Naturgeschichte ' 

 <fcc., p. 440). Guenee says: "It differs from the type only by the 

 absence of the white blotch outside the elbowed line, and by its darker 

 stigmata. The black streaks on the stigmata are also more 

 marked. It is bred from the same Iarva3 and does not appear to merit 

 being specially named any more than egregia y Esp." (' Noctuelles,' vi., 

 p. 75). 



8. Guenee also describes another variety which he calls var. A. 

 Of this he writes : " The orbicular round and not obliquely oval ; 

 the claviform very distinct ; the inner border broadly white, above all, 

 in the median spa*ce ; the pale spot which follows the reniform very 

 white, the subterminal line very deeply indented. North America." 

 Guenee then adds : " These characters appear insufficient to me to 

 form a species, and besides, I do not know that they are constant. 

 However, it is possible that it has a different larva " (' Noctuelles,' vi., 

 p. 76). 



