﻿THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Vol. XXIII.] 



MAY, 1890. 



[No. 324. 



EDITORIAL. 



Our readers will be glad to learn that the Reference 

 Committee of ' The Entomologist ' has been augmented by 

 the addition thereto of the eminent entomologist, Mr. Henry 

 Walter Bates, F.R.S., F.L.S., F.E.S., &c. 



VARIATION OF AGROTIS TRITICI AND A. CURSORIA 

 FROM LANCASHIRE. 



By Richard South. 



Fig. 1. — Agrotis tritici, upper and under surfaces. 

 Fig. 2. — A. cursoria, upper and under surfaces. 



I am indebted to Mr. Baxter, of St. Anne's-on-the-Sea, 

 Lancashire, for series of Agrotis tritici and A. cursoria, showing 

 the range of variation of these species in his district. 



The thirty -four examples of tritici and forty-five cursoria 

 selected have been arranged, according to markings, into thirteen 

 groups. An attempt was made to form colour detachments, but 

 this was abandoned, as it did not promise to lead to any useful 

 result. The colour variation of tritici from this district does not 

 appear to be very extensive : a few specimens are grey-brown, 

 others pale reddish brown, and one or two fuliginous brown ; but 

 the majority of examples would be best described as dark brown. 



ENTOM. MAY, 1890. M 



