120 VARlE*fES( dF NdCTfl.*! 



albas supra margine nigricante, subtus immaculate " (' Lepidoptera 

 Britannica,' pp. 165-166). 



j3. var. lucifuga, Haw. Haworth described this as a distinct species 

 as follows : " Noctua cristata, alis deflexis striatis, fusco canescentibus, 

 posticis fuscis, fimbria saturatiore" (' Lepidop. Britannica/ p. 166). Of 

 var. lucifuga Humphrey and Westwood write : " This species measures 

 two inches in the expanse of the fore wings, which are of a slaty- 

 brown colour, with black longitudinal lines, streaks and veins ; the 

 costa pale at the base and beyond the middle, with several small 

 whitish spots ; the apical margin also with longitudinal whitish lines 

 edged with grey ; the disc indistinctly dotted ; the apical margin with 

 a transverse ashy- white streak ; hind wings deep ashy-brown ; the 

 cilia pale. The caterpillar is dark greenish or ashy colour, with 

 numerous black spots, some of which form a row on each side of the 

 back, which is red-brown down the middle, and at the sides, the 

 latter bordered by a slender whitish line above the feet. The perfect 

 insect appears in July, and is comparatively rare, although frequenting 

 the same localities as the last species (tanaceti) " (' British Moths,' 

 p. 226). Of the way the true lucifuga, which, of course, is not 

 British, has been mixed up with chamomiUce and umbratica, Guenee 

 writes : " Lucifuga of Treitschke appears to me to be lactucce, that of 

 Duponchel, chamomillce, that of Borkhausen, umbratica, as also are 

 those of Stephens and Esper. As to that of Hiibner, I do not agree 

 with M. Kambur, who calls it umbratica, because he has figured a male 

 with the inferior wings brown (they should be white if it was um- 

 bratica). The superior wings are otherwise much less pointed, and 

 all the black streaks are very well placed. Notwithstanding the 

 exaggeration of the reddish tint of the costa, this figure of Hiibner 

 appears to me to be not only a true lucifuga, but the best figure we 

 have of it " (' Noctuelles,' vol. vi., p. 145). 



y. var. lactucce, Haw. Of this variety Humphrey and Westwood 

 write : " This species measures nearly two inches in the expanse of the 

 fore wings, which are of a rather dark greyish or slate colour, relieved 

 by paler grey shades, and with a reddish, obscure spot towards the 

 centre, and various streaks and angulated slender lines of brownish- 

 black ; the apex with several pale slender lines ; the inner margin 

 deep ashy-brown, with several pale and dusky waved streaks ; the 

 apical margin with a slender interrupted black line, the hind wings 

 brown with the base rather paler ; the veins dusky. The caterpillar 

 is yellow with a row of red dots down the middle of the back, and 

 each segment with two large patches on each side, as well as several small 

 black dots above the feet ; the head black, with a yellow slender line 

 down the face. It feeds on various species of Sonchus, lettuce etc., 

 and the moth appears in July. Taken, rarely, in the woods round 

 London as well as in Yorkshire " (' British Moths,' p. 226). Haworth 

 described this as a distinct species as follows: " Noctua cristata alis 

 deflexis striatis canis fusco obsolete undatis, subtus fuscis : posticis 

 disco albo." " Summa affinitas N. umbraticce. Striga antica thoracis 

 interrupta. Alas striataa undis aliquot fuscis at absque puntis centra- 

 libus costalibusque, subtus fuscas basi margineque pallidaa punctis 

 tribus costalibus, albidioribus. Posticas fuscas disco albicante " (' Lepi- 

 doptera Britannica,' p. 166). Of the errors connected with the true 



