MIMAS TILLE, 403 



fig. 10 also shows some variation in direction. In the basal space 

 between this line and the thorax there is also considerable difference 

 (compare figs. 6 and 8). Figs, g, 8, 6, 3, 2 and 1 show especially 

 the variable character of the transverse line outside the central 

 band, although no two are alike, and fig. 6 exhibits a 

 most abnormal, asymmetrical shape of the pale apical 

 blotches. Careful comparison shows that there is some varia- 

 tion in the shape of the hind margin of the posterior wings." 

 Kane observes that several Gal way specimens that he has seen 

 have the central band of forewings large and continuous and 

 the green replaced by olive-brown ; the hindwings very pale russet. 

 James records an aberration with the usual markings present but 

 subdued, and the whole wings of a dull olive-brown, with no trace 

 of terra-cotta or green. Crewe notes an imago bred in May, 1857, 

 at Stowmarket with a most beautiful purple tinge. South describes 

 (E?it., xxv., p. 249) two forms : (1) Pale brown forewings marked 

 with reddish spots of usual shape, hindwings fuscous grey-brown. 

 (2) Greenish-white forewings, the usual central markings dark 

 green, and some touches of an intermediate shade of green, 

 between the central band and base of wing and on the outer 

 third ; hindwings fuscous-brown, outer and abdominal margins 

 pale, the former edged with blackish. Occasional small specimens are 

 sometimes met with ; these Boisduval seemed in some way to have 

 connected with elm-feeding larvae, naming the form ulmi, in 1840 (Gen. 

 et Ind. Meth., p. 49), with the illuminating diagnosis " valde minor." 

 Colthrup records (Ent., xxxiv., p. 260) an example, the ground- 

 colour of the forewings pale brown, with indistinct markings, the 

 hindwings with a pinkish tint, and another with the forewings dark 

 brown in colour, with very intense green markings, the band 

 represented only by a small spot. Clark states {Ent. Rec., iv., 

 p. 257) that colour variation is not specialised in any brood, 

 extreme red and green forms being reared from the same batch 

 of eggs. Schultz records (Berl. Ent. Zeits., xliv., Sitz. p. 29) rearing 

 a brood of M. tiliae on oak, the moths being fawn-coloured, the 

 hindwings much darker, whilst the wings appear to be narrower 

 than usual. Wells records two aberrations (Ent. Rec, hi., p. 313) 

 from pupae dug at Cambridge, one of a dark slaty-grey colour, 

 with the posterior wings nearly black ; the other with quite normal 

 markings, but with all the wings much suffused with bright crimson, 

 the usual dark-green blotches on the anterior wings standing out 

 like crimson velvet. In some examples of both sexes the outer 

 margin is very pale. The hindwings of the $ vary much — from 

 orange to blackish — some with a good band ; those of the 2 are, on the 

 whole, paler, often suffused, but rarely so dark, as in the darker $ s. 

 For such a variable species some tabulation seems necessary. 

 After some trouble the following has been made to cover the 

 variation known to us : 



Ground-colour pale-grey or fawn-grey (without green tinge). 



1. With complete transverse mec ian band=ab. pallida-transversa, n. ab. 



2. With band broken medially into costal and inner-marginal partsnzab. 

 bipunctata, Clark. 



3. With only costal part of band, inner- marginal part obsoletez^ab. pallida- 

 costipicncta, n. ab. 



4. With only inner-marginal part of band, costal part obsoleterzrab. pallida- 

 marginepancta, n. ab. 



