114 THE entomologist's RECORD. 



ton mot with it in 1894, and also, I believe, in 1892 or 1893. Some 

 were taken in 1897, in which year I took two, and to these may be 

 added the two ? s recorded by Mr. Day {ante, vol. x., p. 110), captured 

 at Carlisle, one in 1896 and one in 1897. These last are, I believe, . 

 the only recorded British $ 2 • 



It would be well if collectors having definite knowledge of the 

 capture of H. palustri^ in this country would supplement, and correct, , 

 these statistics. It is not easy to account for the erratic appearance of t 

 this species, and a reliable history of its appearance in England would 1 

 be interesting and instructive. 



The type description quoted in Tutt's DritlxJi Noctuae and their r 

 Varieties, p. 143, is fairly accurate for many of our specimens. " Male ) 

 of a greyish-brown colour, with one irregular transverse basal line, , 

 traces of the reniform, and two transverse lines (roughly parallel to ) 

 the hind margin) outside the reniform." To it might be added thatt 

 the orbicular appears as a black spot, or short horizontal streak, just t 

 beyond the basal transverse line. The outer of the " two transverse ' 

 lines outside the reniform" is not sufficiently defined to call a "line," 

 being rather what is generally described as a " shade " (by which term il 

 I shall refer to it when describing the aberrations). The wings, which il 

 are ample and delicate, are very silky in appearance, and especially, 

 when fresh, have a faint rosy or purplish tinge, quite sufficient to give 

 Avarmth to the general colouring. I am aware that this last statement 

 is directly contradictory of what Messrs. Studd and Moberly have 

 written, but I have five of my specimens by me now, three good and 

 two rubbed ; all of them have the rosy tinge, and I think hardly less 

 so than when freshly caught. 



It would appear that H. palustris is subject to considerable varia- 

 tion, but chiefiy in the intensity of colour and markings. The basal 

 transverse line is sometimes very indistinct, and varies somewhat in 

 form ; the most distinct markings are the stigmata and the transverse 

 elbowed line beyond. Only two forms seem to call for special descrip- 

 tion and varietal names. These are : — 



(1) ab. luteacenH, n. ab. — The forewings of a distinct and clear 

 ochreous-brown, without any of the grey of the type, having the basal 

 transverse line, stigmata, and transverse line beyond, more or less, well 

 defined (as in the type), but always without a trace of the subterminal 

 shade. This is a very constant and distinct aberration, apparently 

 compl'ising about one-third of the specimens taken. Mr. Studd's No. 1 

 [ante, p. 24) would appear to be of this form. 



(2) ab. _/■/(«•«, n. ab. — Markings as in the type, but the basal two-thirds 

 of the anterior wings, so darkly fuscous as to almost obliterate the 

 basal transverse line and stigmata ; this almost black coloration 

 extends to, and is sharply limited by, the transverse line beyond the 

 reniform ; the terminal third of the wing is coloured as in the type, 

 but darker, and has the subterminal shade. Of this I took a single 

 specimen. Mr. Moberly's No. 4 [ante, p. 23) is possibly a still darker 

 specimen of this form. 



Entomological Notes from the Riviera. 



By T. a. chapman, M.D., F.Z.S., F.E.S. 

 Continuing my notes [ante, pp. 96-98), I have to report that March 

 8th and 9th have been wet and cold, and on the latter, having 



