86 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



a certain extent disappeared, or, at any rate, is not so marked as 

 in old specimens, but that the silkiness of the wings (from which 

 Gregson named the species sericea) is still the same. It would 

 be interesting to know if Mr. Tutt's Kent specimens occasionally 

 show this silkiness, or does the " superficial appearance " he 

 speaks about only belong to the darkening of the hind wing ? 



To sum up, I give the arguments in favour of sericea being a 

 variety on the one hand, and a good species on the other : — 



FOR BEING A VARIETY. FOR BEING A SPECIES. 



Peculiar to mosses. Shape of fore wing. 



Similar specimens found in Kent Colour of costal tuft. 



(Tutt). Difference in larvae. 



Dampness producing melanism. Colour of hind wings. 



Silkiness of fore wings. 

 Genitalia — because pygmceola is 

 also similar to it and com- 

 plana. 



With these points I leave the matter. I do not think the 

 variety theory has at all been proved. I am therefore of opinion 

 that until eggs of sericea produce undoubted complayia, and vice 

 versa, old Gregson's name and differentiation will stand good, and 

 that we have two species in Lithosia complana and Lithosia sericea. 



The Elms, Dingle, Liverpool. 



Explanation of Plate. 



1. Cybosia (Lithosia) mesomella. 7. Lithosia aureola. 



2. Lithosia coviplana. 8. Lithosia complanula. 



3. Lithosia sericea. 9. Pelosia (L.) muscerda. 



4. Lithosia pygmceola. 10. Lithosia helvcola. 



5. Lithosia caniola. 11. Lithosia griseola. 



6. CEnistis (L.) quadra. 12. Gnophria (L.) rubicollis. 



13. Miltochrista [Calligenia) miniata. 



[The editor is responsible for generic names in the Explana- 

 tion of Plate.] 



SOME BRITISH FORMS OF MELIT.EA AUIUNIA. 

 By Percy E. Freke, F.E.S. 



I HAVE been much perplexed by this extremely variable 

 species, and I have found my first efforts to learn something 

 definite about its many forms have only led to greater perplexity 

 and confusion. 



On looking over a mass of material from many localities, and 

 trying to make it fit in with some of our leading recognized 

 arrangements, Mr. Tutt's or Mr. Kane's for instance, I have 



