74 VARIETIES OF NOCTIL<E 



represents this species, however, the latter mentions a subterminal 

 shade which I have not found in any example " (' Histoire naturelle ' 

 .etc. (Deltoides), vol. viii., p. 51). This appears to be unimportant in 

 the group, one of the lines of variation peculiar to this family being 

 the development of transverse shades following the transverse lines. 

 The same author also observes : " The emortualis of the early English 

 authors is only a variety of derivalis " (I.e.). In Guenee's time the 

 species was not supposed to be British, but since then specimens have 

 been observed which leads one to suppose that probably Stephens' 

 references really belong to the species, and there is but slight proba- 

 bility that Haworth's are erroneous. 



The species was considered British by Stephens in his 'Illus. 

 Brit. Ent.,' who refers to "a specimen in the cabinet of Mr. W. 

 Swainson," and one in his own possession captured in Devonshire. 

 Two other specimens were recorded, one in 1858, and another in 

 1859. 



It must be confessed, however, that it would hardly be reasonable 

 to suppose that Haworth's species was wrongly named as he referred 

 it to Hiibner's fig. 1, which represents emortualis, and at the same time 

 compares it with derivalis to which species some writers (among others 

 Guenee) have referred Haworth's description. He certainly puts to 

 his reference to Hiibner's figure a mark of doubt, but Haworth knew 

 derivalis. Hiibner also figures it, so that an actual error was not very 

 probable. Haworth's description is : " C. (the olive crescent) alis 

 fusco-flavescentibus, strigis duabus lunulaque medio flavescentibus." 

 " Expansio alarum 1 unc." " Statura et magnitude atque colore C. 

 derimti" (< Lepidoptera Britannica,' p. 369). He also adds: "The 

 above description was taken several years since from Mr. Swainson's 

 collection of English insects " (I.e.). 



Stephens writes as follows : " Emortualis, Hb. ; Polypogon 

 emortualis, Stphs. l Catalogue ', ii., 158, No. 6766. Brown or olive, 

 with a yellowish tinge ; the anterior wings with an incurved paler 

 streak towards the middle, a short lunate one in the middle, and a 

 waved one behind ; posterior wings with a single pale streak nearly 

 on the hinder margin ; "cilia yellowish, immaculate " (' Illustrations of 

 British Entomology,' p. 18). He also adds : " This appears to be a 

 very rare species ; a specimen is in the cabinet of W. Swainson, Esq., 

 and I possess one captured in Devonshire " (I.e.) 



Two later records of this species as British occur. One was made by 

 Mr. H. Cooke of Brighton, who wrote as follows : " A specimen of this 

 insect (new *to Britain) was captured in this town, on the 18th June, 

 1858, by Mr. Pocock. Unfortunately the specimen is not in good 

 condition, and it would therefore be difficult to describe it, but a few 

 characters may be given, by which it may be readily distinguished 

 from any other of our Deltoides. In size it approaches tarsipennalis, 

 and when perfect, the colour may perhaps agree with that species, but 

 in the specimen recently captured there is a distinct yellowish tinge ; 

 the first line arises on the costa, and descends almost perpendicularly 

 to the inner margin, in this nearly approaching grisealis ; this line is but 



* Stephens' records appear to have been altogether overlooked, unless, as is 

 just possible, these were considered vars. of derivalis as mentioned by Guenee. 

 This is probable, as the species is not mentioned in the Manual,' by Stainton. 



