IN THE BRITISH ISLANDS. 115 



cinereous, with dusky margins. Var. 7. Anterior wings paler than 

 the last, with a white streak upon the costa, and a black one in the 

 centre from the base to the anterior stigma ; posterior margin clouded 

 with cinereous and a white waved striga ; posterior wings dusky. 

 Taken in Devonshire by Mr. Raddon. Var. 8. Anterior wings reddish- 

 brown, with three pale transverse strigaa ; the two anterior margined 

 with black ; the first before the anterior stigma, the second behind the 

 posterior, behind which are a row of wedge-shaped spots and the third 

 pale waved striga ; stigmata pale, the anterior ocellated. This variety 

 has the characters of pupillata and also of vitta ; it is as much like the 

 one as the other. Var. 9, pupillata. Anterior wings brownish with 

 four transverse strigaa ; the first at the base, the second before the 

 anterior stigma, the third behind the posterior, and the fourth near the 

 hinder margin ; the costa is spotted with dusky and white, the space 

 between the second and third strigas rather pale, stigmata pale, the 

 anterior ocellated. Var. 10. Anterior wings ashy or greyish, with a few 

 white spots upon the costa, and a black streak at the base in the centre 

 of the wing, and a white waved striga near the posterior margin. Var. 11, 

 ocellina. Anterior wings dusky or blackish, with a short ashy streak 

 upon the costa and with two black transverse strigse, the first before 

 the anterior stigma, the second behind the posterior ; near the hinder 

 margin is a pale waved striga, the anterior stigma ocellated. Var. 12. 

 Anterior wings blackish, with a black streak at the base, in the centre 

 of the wing extending beyond the anterior stigma, posterior wings 

 ashy, slightly margined with fuscous. I took this variety near 

 Brocken hurst, Hants, in September. This variety expands only one 

 inch. From its small size and black appearance I had considered it 

 distinct, and had named it some time since, pusilla, but I examined 

 many specimens at Darenth Wood, last summer, most of which were 

 allied to ocellina, two or three being very small and having the 

 characters of ocellina, with the black streak at the base, thus connect- 

 ing my pusilla with that supposed species. 



It will be useless for me to describe more of these varieties, for it 

 is difficult to find two specimens perfectly similar ; in some the teli- 

 form stigma is wanting ; in others it is large ; some have no transverse 

 strigas ; others have from one to four ; some are destitute of the white 

 streak upon the costa, and some have their wings greyish, others dark 

 fuscous ; some are dark at the base, others at the posterior margin. 

 These varieties are very perplexing, and I believe there are not two 

 collections in London in which they are named alike, at least I have 

 not seen two, except that of Mr. Chant. The conspicuous varieties are 

 considered by some as distinct, thus multiplying species, when in fact 

 they all constitute but one variable species. There are two or three 

 other species in this genus that require investigation ; the want of 

 conclusive proofs compels me to leave them for the present. I trust 

 that some of your practical correspondents will be induced to take up 

 this subject " (' Entomologist,' vol. i.). 



Vol. ii., p. 43. Agrotis tritici var. Staudinger writes of an un- 

 named variety from Central Asia : " Some specimens from Saisan and 

 Lepsa, are very similar to the South Eussian form. They are somewhat 

 smaller and lighter (variegated) than the German ones. The hind 

 wings 'are sometimes pure white with a darker marginal line, although 

 this is also sometimes absent in the males from Saisan. On the 25th 

 August, at Lepsa (or Saisan), a somewhat worn ? was found with 



