90 VARIETIES OP NOCTTLE 



with white found in strigosa. The black arrow-mark near the root of 

 the wing is only represented by two small black spots. The second and 

 third arrow- marks between the outside transverse lines and the mar- 

 gin are as in the type. The outside transverse line is of the same 

 shape as in strigosa, but is very fine, black, edged interiorly and indis- 

 tinctly with light grey (not white), and approaches the margin very 

 much. On the margin a row of black points as in the type, and 

 at the inner edge of the base of the fore wing is an indistinct 

 longitudinal yellowish-brown spot. The hind wings agree in their 

 markings with strigosa, but they are darker, and the transverse line 

 and lunule are very indistinct. 



As a whole then, the variety will be remembered by its smaller size, 

 by the slender body, by the long narrow wings, by its dark coloration, 

 the partial obliteration of the markings of the fore wings, the reduction 

 of the two outer arrow- like marks and of the one near the base of the wing 

 to dots. These points resemble very much the well-known Bryophilid 

 species (raptricula or receptricula). It appears to be at any rate the 

 smallest Acronycta known " (' Entomologische Nachrichten,' vol. xvii., 

 pp. 145-147). 



Viminia, Chpmn., euphorbice, Fab. 



Vol. i., p. 25. Viminia euphorbice var. montivaga. Dr. Chapman 

 has bred this year a very fine specimen of this variety from a larva 

 picked up in the Pyrenees last August. This he has kindly given to 

 me. It is not at all unlike some of our paler specimens of myricce 

 from Scotland, especially some of the males from Aberdeen, the males 

 there usually showing more distinct white markings than the females. 

 Mons. Oberthiir also records " var. montivaga from Cauterets, taken in 

 July, 1883 " (< Etudes d' entomologie,' viii., p. 47). 



Vol. i., p. 25. Viminia euphorbia; vars. montivaga, Gn. and 

 myricce, Gn. Dr. Staudinger unexpectedly reports this variety from 

 Central Asia, for as a rule the specimens from that district are paler 



in colour than is general on the Continent of Europe. He writes : 



" Three specimens from the Saisan district (probably Tarbogatai) 

 which I can only conclude to be a much smaller, darker, variety with 

 montivaga, Gn. or myricce, Gn. etc. One of the Saisan specimens has 

 the ground colour of the fore wings greyish-black with entirely 

 obsolete markings, whilst in the other specimens, pale grey transverse 

 lines and the stigmata are observable" ('Stettiner entomologische 

 Zeitung/ vol. xlii., p. 409). 



Viminia euphorbice var. obscura, Strom. In the ' Entomologisk 

 Tidskrift,' 1885, p. 50, we find: "Euphorbice var. obscura, Strom, 

 'Dansk. Vid. Selsk. Skr.,' 1783, p. 79 (? montivaga, Gn. i., 57). 

 Morkare." I have not seen Scandinavian specimens of euphorbice, but 

 I should assume that they would closely resemble, if not, be actually 

 identical with our Scotch and Irish race, myricce. The var. montivaga 

 is characteristic of the South and Central European mountains, but the 

 Scandinavian specimens would, I should consider, conform more to our 

 British type. This is the case in the local vars. of Agrotis candelarum, 

 and other species. However this may be, Strom's old name obscura 

 will replace one of Guenee's more modern names montivaga or 

 myricce, dependent, of course, with which form obscura is really 

 identical. 



