118 VAiufcTifes ofr 



surrounded, above all in their upper edges with black. The elbowed 

 line is more distinct and forms rounded teeth. There are fewer streaks, 

 and these rather red than blackish, whilst lastly, the disc is quite con- 

 colorous with the rest of the wing. The inferior wings paler, more 

 iridescent with whiter fringes " (' Noctuelles,' vi., p. 143). The only 

 locality that this pale variety is recorded from is Sicily. It is remark- 

 able how many pale vars. are recorded from this locality. 



ft. var. leucanthemi, Rbr. This variety is more mixed with 

 ochreous. Staudinger writes : " Al. ant. flavo-mixtis " (' Catalog,' p. 

 123). Rambur's figure may be described as follows : " Anterior 

 wings dull ochreous-grey, with longitudinal black lines principally on 

 the nervnres, very fine and more numerous towards the inner margin. 

 The costa and area beyond the angulated line ochreous, the outlines of 

 the orbicular and reniform indistinctly marked. Hind wings ochreous- 

 grey, paler towards inner margin " (' Cat. Sys. des Lep. de 1'Andalousie,' 

 PI, ix., fig. 3). 



y. var. ckrysanthemi, Hb. This would appear to be our more com- 

 mon British form, of a rather dark blackish-grey tint with distinct 

 black linear markings especially near the hind margin. Staudinger 

 simply writes : " Obscurior " (' Catalog,' p. 123). The description I 

 made of the type is as follows : " Anterior wings blackish-grej', with 

 a transverse row of pale rhomboidal markings near the hind margin 

 between the dark nervures ; another transverse row of pale marks 

 crosses the centre of the wing ; the lower part of the basal area yellow- 

 ish in colour. 1 r ind wings dark grey, base slightly paler " (' Sammlung 

 europ. Schmet.' etc., fig. 686). Guenee says of this form : " Darker 

 above all on the <lisc, and with a tint slightly olive ; the black streaks 

 thick and more numerous, the subterminal space sometimes appears 

 paler, whilst the centre of the wing is darker and more blackish ; so 

 that the outline of the elbowed line is more distinct, although the 

 lines are more obscured in the intensity of the ground colour. Stig- 

 mata often better indicated and sometimes surrounded on all sides " 

 ('Noctuelles,' vol. vi., pp. 142-143). To which he adds: "I have 

 only described the more striking specimens which approach most to 

 the figure of Hiibner, which is, in any case, exaggerated " (I.e. p. 143). 

 It is probable that Haworth's fissina (p. 166) is synonymous 

 with this variety, but at any rate his description is most vague. 

 Treitschke writes of it : " Cucullia alis anticis fusco cinereis, nigro 

 striatis, macula subcentrali albida ; posticis fuscis, venis obscurioribus ; " 

 to which he adds : " The fore wings are shorter and broader than in 

 chamomillce. They are of a black colour, tinged with yellow, 

 paler at the base and towards the costa, the central area being darker 

 and thus clearly marked. In place of the discoidals are rust-coloured 

 and black dots, and below them, there is a yellow-grey spot, in the 

 position of the dull whitish one in diamomillce. The nervures are 

 streaked with brown up to the fringes which are strongly scalloped. 

 These latter are a pale yellowish brown. The whole wing surface is 

 mottled and covered with small longitudinal dashes. The central 

 nervure is however clearly distinguishable " (' Die Schmet ' etc., vol. 

 v., pt. 3, p. 114). Treitschke afterwards (I.e. vol. x., 2nd part, p. 

 127), referred this to chamomillce as a variety (vide extract under calen- 

 dulce, ante p. 117). 



