302 



[Novcnilicv, 



Notes on Bryophila impar, Warren. — Very little seems to be known about 

 BryophUa impar; comparatively sjieaking, so few have ever been taken that ento- 

 mologists have not had a chance of compai'ing it with glandifera. I have made a 

 careful comparison between a long series of each, the result of which may be 

 interesting to many. There is a very great difference in the general appearance, 

 caused chiefly by impar being thickly covered with black scales, and the blotch near 

 the base — referred to below. No. 2 marking — -being so conspicuously black, this 

 makes the markings very obscure, and causes impar to be a much darker looking 

 moth than glandifera. 



A long series of glandifera shows a greater variety of colour than impar, the 

 most frequent form of the latter is grey, with a very slight tinge of dull green in it ; 

 and I have specimens varying from this to a very dark bluish-grey, which, with the 

 tliick covering of black scales, makes it much blacker than any form of glandifera. 

 A much scarcer form is dark yellowish-green ; and I have one specimen of a very 

 pretty gi-assy-green. The greenish-blue and sandy coloured forms, as well as two 

 or three shades of green, which are frequent in glandifera, I have not seen repre- 

 sented at all in impar. 



As regards any difference in the markings, the following comparison is the result 

 of a careful examination : — 



Glandifera. 

 1. — The first line from the base, which 

 curls outward just before reaching the 

 inner margin, is disconnected just before 

 the disc from the costa. 



2. — The next marking is a greenish or 

 brownish-grey blotch, margined with 

 black, and on the side next the base, 

 with white, situated in the top of this 

 blotch is the orbicular stigma, of exactly 

 the same colour as the rest of the blotch, 

 and indicated by the black line by which 

 it is surrounded. 



3. — The reniform stigma slightly 

 darker than the ground colour, clearly 

 outlined by black, and, in some speci- 

 mens, also white. 



4. — A zigzag line, margined on the 

 outside with white. 



5. — The subterminal line is the one 

 unfailing distinction as regards the 

 markings ; in glandifera it is a clearly 

 marked dotted black line, not quite half 

 way from the costa, two of the spots 

 form a dash on the inside, and another 

 quite near the inner margin. 



Impar. 

 1. — This line is nearly always un- 

 broken. 



2. — This blotch is black, very slightly 

 influenced by the ground colour, so that 

 it shows no marginal line of black, or 

 any indication of the orbicular stigma. 



3. — Not so clearly outlined, especially 

 the side next the hind margin, and no 

 white. 



4. — The same line, but less distinct. 



5. — This line is almost entirely want- 

 ing ; in the most distinctly marked 

 specimens, there is only a small portion, 

 from the inner margin just showing the 

 first dash ; but in most sjiecimens the 

 line is only indicated by a whitish shade. 



