GE0METRID.^5. — ABRAXAS. 247 



spots, terminating on the inner margin in a large blotch, in the centre of which 

 are some pearlaceous waves; posterior rather huffy at the base, and behind 

 the middle with a double row of smaU fulvescent spots, terminating near the 

 anal angle in a somewhat triangular blotch, in which are a few pearlaceous 

 waves: head, thorax, and abdomen luteous, the latter somewhat irregularly 

 spotted with black. 



One of the rarest of our Geometridae: it has occurred in the 

 neighbourhood of Oakhampton-park, Somersetshire; and according 

 to Mr. Haworth, on the authority of the late M. Francillon, in 

 Devonshire : I possess a fine specimen from the former locality. 



Sp. 3. Grossulariata. ANs albis, anticis hasi strigdque posticd luteis, omnibus 

 maculis rotundatis nigris. (Exp. alar. 1 unc. 4 lin.-2 unc.) 



Ph. Ge. Grossulariata. Linne.-kh. Grossulariata. Steph. Catal.part n. p. 136. 

 A^o. 6590. Harr. A. pi. U.f.f—h. 



Wings white; the anterior with the base and a repanded striga behind the 

 middle luteous or bufiF; the luteous base with some black spots, and margmed 

 with the same; the disc rather irregularly spotted, then a regular transverse 

 striga of spots most frequently united towards the inner margin, and followed 

 by another of divided spots, the luteous striga between, and on the hinder 

 margin is a sixth row of black spots : posterior wings without the bufF colour, 

 with a few scattered spots on the disc, a transverse striga of the same beyond 

 the middk, and a row on the hinder margin : body luteous, spotted with 



black. 

 It is utterly impossible to imagine a more variable insect than this, its phases 

 actually varying from black to white ! with all possible intermediate shades: 

 some of the more remarkable varieties may, however, be noticed. One speci- 

 men that I have seen is entirely of a sooty black, with the usual markings of 

 a darker hue, and a faint trace of the luteous base and fascia : another has the 

 basal half of the vving black and the apex white ; a third just the reverse of the 

 last • some .examples want all the spots on the hinder margin of the wmgs, 

 others have them united: again the base and apex will be immaculate and 

 the centre black. I possess a specimen with the base jet black, then a broad 

 white space, followed by as broad a black fascia, totally obhterating the luteous 

 striga and a marginal row of spots ; and what is remarkable, the posterior 

 winces are longitudinally streaked with black: others, pale ones, want the 

 luteous strigiE entirely, while in some that colour so predominates as to cover 

 the surface of aU the wings ! I have one specimen in which the posterior wmgs 

 are luteous; a second in which aUthe wings are luteous, with the black spots 

 nearly obliterated; and Mr. Westwood has communicated a drawing to me 

 of a specimen in which the base and usual strigse are lutescent, the rest ot the 

 wings white, with a fulvous spot on the disc of the anterior, and three or four 



