MACROTHYLACIA RUBI. 129 



9. With the area between the two median transverse lines darker than the 

 ground-colour^:ab. grisea-virgata, n. ab. 



Ground-colour pale reddish-grey (possibly the "cervinus" tint of Linne, 



and hence the type). 



1. With widely-separated transverse lines to forewings^zcervina -separata, 

 n. ab. 



2. With normal transverse lines to forewings— r«£z, Linn. 



3. With approximating transverse lines to forewingsz=ab. cervina-approxi- 

 mata, n. ab. 



4. With touching transverse lines to forewings^zab. cervina-conjuncta, n. ab. 



5. With transverse lines uniting to form a pale median fascia across fore- 

 wings=:ab. cervina-fasciata, n. ab. 



6. With one transverse line absent on forewingsz=ab. cervi na-unilinea, n. ab. 



7. With both transverse lines obsolete on forewingszzrab. cervina-ubsoleta, 

 n. ab. 



8. With transverse lines different on right and left forewings— ab. cervina- 

 dissimilLs, n. ab. 



9. With the area between the two median lines darker than the ground- 

 coloun=ab. cervina-virgata, n. ab. 



These forms cover possibly the greater range of the variation 

 observable in the species in the British Islands. It is exceedingly 

 difficult to give any really complete tabulation of the whole range 

 of varietal forms, e.g., the males vary considerably in the tint of 

 the hindwings, some being distinctly paler, others distinctly darker, 

 than what may be termed the normal. Somewhat parallel forms 

 with the male ab. pallida, occur among the females, the pale 

 antemarginal shade spreading over the whole of the forewings 

 except the outer marginal area and inner part of the median band, 

 but, in this sex, the outer marginal area is usually less band-like 

 than in the males, and may, as in some examples of the latter 

 sex, be entirely wanting. Stephens notes (Illus., ii., p. 39) our 

 forms unilinea and fasciata as follows : 



var. [3. The anterior wings with only one (the hinder) posterior striga above, 

 var. y. The anterior wings with the two strigae united and forming a broad 

 whitish band. 



In Webb's collection we noted the following peculiar male 

 aberrations : (1) Both fore- and hindwings yellow-brown in tint, 

 with two yellowish transverse lines and redder narrow hind mar- 

 ginal band to forewings. (2) Fore- and hindwings pale fawn in 

 colour, transverse lines whitish, outer marginal area of forewings 

 slightly darker. (3) Reddish with yellowish-grey submarginal shade. 

 (4) Almost unicolorous fox-red with the transverse lines darker 

 shaded. (5) The forewings with the inner line obsolete. Of the 

 females one notices : (1) A light grey form with scarcely a trace of 

 red in the tint. (2) Yellow-grey in colour. ^3) The greater part 

 of the wing yellowish-grey, but the outer marginal band typical 

 brownish, and the central area darker. (4) Deep fuscous, with a 

 thick sprinkling of grey over the forewings. (5'* Distinct red-brown, 

 with grey outer line and greyish basal area. Robson notes that, until 

 1897, he was unable to get an aberration at Hartlepool ; in that 

 year, however, he bred many, including — males with extra dark scales 

 between the pale lines of forewings, others with the two transverse 

 lines approximating, even meeting medially, or uniting throughout 

 to form a pale transverse median fascia, some with the band be- 

 tween the pale lines wide, some with outer margin of band 

 straight, others with it curved. Examples with narrow median 



