IN THE BRITISH ISLANDS. 97 



Scoliopteryx, Germ. (Gonoptcra, Latr.), lilatrix, Linn. 



In some specimens the red spots of this species are restricted 

 almost entirely to the central area, the ground colour of such being 

 generally darker. Beyond the angulated line the outer margin is 

 generally redder and occasionally ochreous. Some Scotch specimens, 

 especially those from Perth, are also darker than others. The Linnsean 

 description is as follows: "Bombyx spirilinguis cristata, alis incum- 

 bentibus dentato-erosis rufo-griseis : punctis duobus albis " ( Systema 

 Naturae,' xth., p. 507), to which he adds : " Alas superiores incum- 

 bentes, postice erosaa, supra griseaa fascia lineari arcuata cinerea ; 

 posteriore retrorsum ex duplici lineola alba ; anteriore fasciola alba 

 versus basin antrorsum arcuata angustiore. Punctum album ad basin 

 antennarum ; aliud ad basin alarum, aliud in medio alae ad aream 

 flavam ; aliud in singulo femore. Pedes barbari " (< Fauna Suecicaa,' 



p. 304:). 



a. var. suffusa, mihi Anterior wings, dull greyish-fuscous with 

 no red on the outer margin. I have one specimen of this variety 

 from Strood. Examples without the red on the outer margins of the 

 wings appear to be very rare. 



9. Family : Xylinidce, Gn. 



As restricted by Guenee, this family had some little cohesion, 

 but it has since become a receptacle for almost everything that 

 simulates dry sticks &c. Staudinger has transferred Xylomiges conspt- 

 cillaris, Asteroscopus nubeculosus, A. sphinx (cassinea), Dasypolia templi 

 &c., into this group for apparently as much want of scientific reason, 

 as if he had bodily transferred the genera Pyycera and Xylophasia. 

 As it stands, it is very doubtful whether it does not possess members, 

 which might very well be transferred to two or three existent families. 

 In position, Staudinger places it between the Orthosidw and Plusidce, 

 whilst Guenee places it between the Hadenidce and Heliothidce. As is 

 well-known, Guenee misplaces the Hadenidcv, but had this latter been 

 put with the Apamidce, the group would have had a fairly natural 

 position between the Orthosidce and Heliothidtv. Guenee points out 

 the very different ways in which the species in the various geneia 

 pupate, and the very diverse methods of construction of their cocrons. 

 He also draws attention to the peculiar way in which some -A the 

 pupae have an enlargement which receives the trunk and las 4 , pair of 

 legs, somewhat analogous, but of a different shape and differently 

 situated, to the extension in certain Sphmgidce. He also '/ery rightly 

 remarks : " The perfect insects are, in general, much less remarkable 

 than their larvae. The sexes only differ inter se by the form of the 

 antennae and of the abdomen, and varieties are much rarer than in the 

 preceding families " (' Noctuelles,' vol. vi., p. 108). 



Xylocampa, Gn., areola, Esp. 



This insect has the bases of the orbicular and reniform, joined by 

 a third stigmal marking under the median nervure, whilst under this 

 mark and the two stigmata which it joins, is a black longitudinal line 

 which has its origin in the black longitudinal basal mark, includes the 

 claviform and is sometimes extended to the angulated line. In the 

 palest specimens, the claviforrn is ill-developed, but well-marked in 



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