RUMICIA PHLiEAS. 359 



coppery." Sabine records the capture of a gold-coloured $ , in Septem- 

 ber, 1899, near Erith, he also states that he bred an example, in July, 

 1903, at Erith, of a "pale golden" colour, whilst, in September and 

 October, 1904, he bred nine examples of this golden aberration, which 

 formed a striking contrast with the very typical forms he also bred from 

 the same lot of larvae. Clark notes the capture of an example of a brassy 

 or yellowish tint (Ent. Rec, iii., p. 214). Harwood records pale golden 

 forms from the coast of Essex. Our own British examples, strangely, 

 appear to be all summer captures, a long series of twelve fine speci- 

 mens from Kingsdown, August lst-3rd, 1887 ; two from Arran, 

 August 15th, 1893 ; and one from Cuxton, September, 1893. Our 

 continental captures, on the other hand, suggest that it may not be 

 uncommon among the spring emergences in South France ; thus, we 

 have examples from Auribeau, near Cannes ; Hyeres, where several 

 examples, taken in the Plan-du-Pont, April 27th, 1905, were of this 

 form, as well as a single one captured at Costebelle, April 24th, 1905; 

 some of these specimens are of an exceedingly pale tint, inclining 

 distinctly to the brassy hue of intermedia, the spots distinctly small. 

 Lowe says that ab. intermedia is not infrequent in Guernsey. Fletcher 

 observes that a strange aberration was taken on the " Great Wall" at 

 Shan-hai-kwan, on September 19th, 1898, with typical markings, but 

 with the ground colour of a very pale golden-yellow, and the usual 

 black markings irrorated with golden scales ; the black spots on the 

 forewings very small, and the marginal band on the hindwings much 

 enlarged. 



7]. ab. intermedia-caudata, n. ab. — Like ab. intermedia in colour and markings, 

 but with the tails of the hindwing developed as in eleus. 



This is a most unusual form in Britain. We have ourselves 

 several specimens among our intermedia, taken at Kingsdown, August, 

 1887 ; Cuxton, September 10th, 1891, etc. One suspects, however, 

 that it is not so uncommon in the south of France, as we have 

 examples from Auribeau, $ , April 8th, 1903 ; Hyeres, ? , April 27th, 

 1905, etc. ; also from Fontainebleau, June 28th, 1897 ; whilst a 5 at 

 Susa, mid-August, 1897, was a most unexpected capture. One is 

 recorded by Mrs. Holmes from near Sevenoaks, of the colour of brass, 

 with two projections on the lower wing. 



6. ab. typica-caudata, n. ab. — Of the ordinary typical colour and markings, but 

 with the development of the hindmargin of the hindwings into tails, as in ab. eleus. 



In July, 1903, Sabine bred, from the Erith district, a normally 

 coloured example with abnormally long tails, and, as a rule, this form 

 is considered a rare aberration in Britain ; although we have several 

 examples taken in August, 1887, at Deal; one at Cuxton (ab. minor), 

 on September 10th, 1891, Canterbury, August, 1890, etc. In southern 

 France, however, where the spring specimens are normal in colour, the 

 tails are often very well developed, and we have such from Hyeres, $ , 

 March 30th, 1903 ; Auribeau, $ , April 6th, 1903 ; Locarno, 2 $ s 

 slightly, 1 $ strongly, tailed, May and June, 1902, etc. But they 

 also occur in other districts in the summer, e.g., we have examples 

 from Fusio, 5 , July 12th, 1899 ; Broncbales, $ , August 3rd-5th, 

 1901; Albarracin, $>, July 28th, 1901; Fontainebleau, several $ s, 

 mid- August, 1899 ; Malta, three large ? s, July 17th, 1897 ; Le 

 Batiaz, near Martigny, small 2 , August 25tb, 1905, etc. Others of 



