46 VARIETIES OF NOCTTTJE 



he cites the figures of Clerck, which represents ramburu, and Geoffroy, 

 who has really described (although badly enough) alchymista ; but 

 these two contradictions only show how little importance should be 

 attached to these references. Linnnms has only seen specimens with 

 the base of the inferior wings white, and as NOCTU^E, of this pattern 

 were but little known in his time, he concluded that all those which 

 showed this character in other authors, referred to the same species " 

 (' Noctuelles/ vol. vii., p. 47). 



Of the first appearance of Catephia alchymista in Britain, Mr. 

 Stainton writes : " Of this most conspicuous and striking species, of 

 which we hope to give a figure next year, a single specimen was taken 

 in September this year at sugar, by Dr. Wallace in the Isle of Wight. 

 The larva feeds on oak in July and August, the perfect insect appear- 

 ing naturally in June of the following year ; hence its capture in 

 September must be considered exceptional. This is not the lencomelas 

 of Haworth of which he says : ' Mr. Francillon possesses an English 

 specimen ; ' the Francillonian specimen may still be seen amongst the 

 doubtful British species in the possession of Mr. Shepherd " (' Ent. 

 Ann./ 1859, p. 148). The more recent records are one at Sussex 

 (' Entom.,' viii., p. 164), one at Colchester ('Entom./ viii., p. 185), 

 one at Dover ('Entom.,' xv., p. 162). Other references in our British 

 magazines to this species are ' Ent. Mo. Mag./ vol. xxv., pp. 65 and 

 91 ; ' Entom. vol. xx., p. 239 (this record is very doubtful) ; * Entom./ 

 vol. xx., p. 325 ; ' Ent Mo. Mag./ vol. xxv., p. 65. 



2. Family: Catocalidce, Bdv. 



There is a great break between the Catephidce and Catocalldce, 

 there being no representative species in Britain of the families Boliwdcp, 

 and Jlypocalidce. This family is a very characteristic one ; the imagines 

 usually having richly-coloured underwings, which are covered when 

 at rest by the fore wings, the latter being ornamented with greys of 

 different shades and responding very distinctly to their environment. 

 In Britain, we have no species like epione etc. with the hind wings 

 black, and only fraxini in which the coloration is other than red. 

 Besides the genus Parthenos (which contains only one species, nubilis, 

 Hb.), the family consists entirely of the genus Catocala. Guenee 

 writes: "The facies of the insects in their three states is so 

 positive, that it forms without doubt a very distinct group, but, on 

 account of this very fact, it is without very decided affinities with the 

 neighbouring families. Further, it has more resemblance in colour 

 and markings, than in common characters, with the Opheridce which 

 follows it. It is in much the same position with regard to the Hypo- 

 calidce which precedes it. However, the genus Parthenos (which 

 otherwise has a slightly ambiguous appearance) has some very marked 

 affinities with the Catocalidce and Bolinidce " (' Noctuelles/ vol. vii., p. 

 79). 



Of the Catocalince as a sub-class Grote writes : " The earliest 

 recognition of this group which I find in literature is that of Borkhausen, 

 who calls this Noctuoe fasciatce, in contradistinction to the Noctuince, 

 or Noctnce nonfasciatce. These terms are clumsy and had better give 

 way to those of Packard ( Proc. P.S.N.H./ vol. i., p. 153, et seq.). 

 The wings are broad ; primaries triangulate ; secondaries full, tending 



