iti Tttfe BRITISH ISLAND, 117 



tmguenda, at larva diversissima. Antenna) ferruginea*. Caput 

 f uscum strigis cinereis. Thorax hirtus cinereus striga antica marginal! 

 nigra. Abdomen griseum basi fasciculis aliquot dorsalibus. Alai 

 anticaB supra striataa, cana3 in medio punctis duobus hirsutissimis 

 (ininutissirais ?) costaque punctis tribus cinereis. Subtus cinereai 

 punctis tribus costalibus albis. Posticre striata3 cinerea3 ciliis albis, 

 subtus immaculate lunula parva centrali fusca " ( Mantissa,' pp. 180- 

 181). Of this species Guenee says : " After having examined a 

 large number of specimens of this species, I own that I am unable to 

 lind any distinct character to separate chamomillce from chrysanthemi, 

 and I believe, like Treitschke, that they ought to be reunited, especially 

 as the supposed differences in the larvae, appear to be no more con- 

 clusive than those in the perfect insects " (' Noctuelles,' vol. vi., p. 142). 

 I quite agree with Guenee as to the apparently ridiculous phrase 

 " punctis duobus hirsutissimis " in the Fabrician description quoted 

 above. He says that in the place of this phrase, we ought probably 

 to read " punctis duobus minutissimis." Our English specimens 

 appear to be either the type, a form much streaked with paler, or 

 approaching var. chrysanthemi, a dark form much less streaked with 

 the paler tint. I have also a form with a distinct dark blackish 

 brown central band extending from the basal to the elbowed line, the 

 dark band throwing up the reniform rather more distinctly. It 

 appears to agree with Guenee's description of chrysanthemi exactly, 

 although much darker in the central area than Hiibner's figure. 

 Humphrey and Westwood comparing this with umbratica and its vars. 

 write : " Chamomillce is smaller than the others, and much deeper in 

 colour than any of them, with the marks of the fore wings, more 

 clouded and indistinct : the hind wings, with the fringe, are all deep 

 full brown, but the specimen appears to be a female, and some re- 

 puted male specimens of chamomillce, in the British Museum, are paler 

 and clearer, but possessing the same general character " (' British 

 Moths,' p. 224). 



a. var. calendula?, Tr. Of this variety Staudinger writes : 

 " Dilutior, pallidior et imago et larva " (' Catalog,' p. 123). Treitschke 

 himself writes : "Long observation, which Mr. Kindermann and other 

 naturalists have made, as well as preserved larvaa sent to me, have 

 furnished proof that chrysanthemi must be united with the type as a 

 dark variety. As there is every gradation in the moths, so the Iarva3 

 are found with or without the red-brown transverse bands, and with 

 stronger as well as paler markings. They also eat various foodplants, 

 which perhaps may account for the paler or darker shading. From 

 Sicily, Dahl brought another variety under the name of calendulas. It 

 has been sent to several entomologists, but judging from the preserved 

 larva?, it turns out to be only chamomillce in its palest form, and pro- 

 bably through climate and breeding, somewhat smaller than usual. 

 The larva is almost straw-colour, the name-like hooks are, however, 

 only faintly observed " (' Die Schmet.' &c., x., 2nd pt., p. 127). Guenee 

 writes of this as follows : " It is near chamomiUce, but I believe it to 

 be quite distinct. The superior wings are a little less lanceolete, of an 

 ashy hue, scarcely reddish, with the costa only of the latter tint, which 

 contrasts with the ashy ground colour ; the disc and base are covered 

 with scales rather than hairs. The ordinary stigmata are always 



