ACALLA RETICULATA, ITS HISTORY AND ITS VARIATION. 



159 



with a much darker wide marginal cloud. The shape of the forewing 

 is much too pointed, in fact not at all comparable to the real shape of 

 the species. I would even call it malformed. If this be a 

 contatninana form, then the very dark practically uniform specimens are 

 worthy of a varietal name without a doubt. 



Phalaena obncitrana. Donovan. JSIat. Hist. Br. Ins., vol. xi., 

 p. 40, pi. 374, fig. 2. [1804.] 



" Tortrix obsGurmia. Anterior wings somewhat ferruginous, 

 obscurely clouded and speckled with fuscous ; posterior wings pale." 



The figure (nat. size) and the enlargement do not agree. The 

 former has no speckles and no cloud nor fascia, only an indistinct 

 smudge in the disc, and a small dark triangular spot where the basal 

 transverse line should begin on the costa. The colour is considerably 

 more than " somewhat " ferruginous in both figures. The veins are 

 well marked in the marginal area, but there are no reticulations 

 marked. The cloud on the enlarged figure is in no way like the 

 marking I have seen in any of the specimens I have examined. 



Inspection of the figure justifies one in identifying it as ciliana, 

 Hiib., hence the name obscurana, Don., must be considered a synonym 

 of ciliana, Hiib. 



The first description of contaniinana subsequent to Hb. is that of 

 Haworth as follows : — 



Haworth. Lep. Brit., p. 419, no. 80. [1812 (11).] Tortria: 

 coHtaminana. 



" T. alis acutis stramineis, rufo pulcherrime reticulatis, costa basi, 

 fasciaque media sinuosa bifida ustulatis. 



"Tort, contaniinana, Hiib. Tort. 142. Ph. Pyralis xylosteana (Haw), 

 Prod. Lep. Brit., 32. [1802.] 



" Descriptio. " Simillima praecedentibus {ciliana, no. 79) ut 

 distincta, nempe vix unquam variat : sed solum differt ab ultima, 

 fascia media anticarum alarum, quae maxima est, et ad costam grosse 

 seu ineleganter bifida. 



" ^. Macula straminea in postica parte fasciae anticarum alarum. 



" Obs. In English cabinets this species is frequently named 

 xylosteana." 



Haworth. Lei^. Brit., p. 419, no. 79. [1812 (11).] Tortrix 

 ciliana. Hiib. Tort., 171. = Ph. obscurana, Don. xi., 374. 



" T. alis acutis ferragineis, fusco rufove reticulatis, fascia media 

 abhreviata obliqua costali saturatiore." 



" Descriptio. Praecedenti [rhombana) nimis affinis et forte 

 varietas, sed differt in fascia media abhreviata, nee completa usque ad 

 marginem tenuiorem. Etiam variat. 



" a. Alis anticis laete ferrugineis, lente paululum reticulatis fascia 

 obscura obliqua brevissima parum saturatiore medio marginis 

 crassioris ; margine ipso postico tenue ustulato : posticis 

 albidis, seu pallidis fuscescentibus, ciliisque omnibus albis. 



"/3. Alis anticis saturatioribus, sive sordide testaceis, ustulato 

 conspicue reticulatis : cacteris ut in «. 



" y. Duplo major, alis anticis pallide testaceis, rufo sordide ut 

 conspicue reticulatis caeteris ut in a. 



" 5. Statura a, vel subinde duplo major alis anticis pallidissima 



