RUMICTA PHLiEAS. 369 



This form must not be confounded with ab. radiata, in which 

 similar delicate streaks replace the hindmarginal band, the latter itself 

 being obsolete ; in this aberration the band is present, and the fine streaks 

 commence on its upper edge, and then run for a short distance in the 

 direction of the wing-base, as in ab. radiata. Sabine records the 

 capture of an example in October, 1901, near Dartford, with the black 

 before the band on the hind wing delicately streaked with copper- 

 colour. It is the var. e of Stephens, who describes it as having the 

 hindwings w T ith faint radiating coppery lines as in the $ of C. dispar. 

 We have examples from Cuxton, August, 1881, and the South Fore- 

 land, August, 1890, both $ s, and the latter with traces of blue dots. 

 Among our continental captures we note specimens from Albenga, 

 April 13th, 1903 ; Locarno, April 20th, 1903 ; the Petit St. Bernard, 

 August 3rd, 1898, etc., so that it is possibly well distributed. 



5. ab. radiata, Tutt, " Brit. Butts.," p. 153 (1896) ; Wheeler, " Butts, of 

 Switz.," p. 19 (1903). Phlaeas var., Nich., " Ent. Rec," iv., pi. D, fig. 6 (1893).— 

 With radiating wedge-shaped lines of copper-colour, passing up from the outer 

 margin towards the base, and taking the place of the usual submarginal copper- 

 coloured band (Tutt). 



We reproduce in our pi. xiii., figs. 11-12, a $ and $ of this form. 

 The earliest example of which we have record is noted by Davis as 

 having been captured in April, 1865, the usual copper-coloured margin 

 of the hindwings being in this specimen absent, and only represented 

 by three, short, faint, reddish streaks at the extremity of the nervures, 

 and a minute spot of the same colour at the anal angle. Adkin notes 

 the capture of a specimen at Eastbourne with the copper band of the 

 hindwing represented by five narrow streaks on the wing-rays, the rest 

 being obliterated by the black colour ; another in which the copper 

 colour is visible only on one wing-ray near the anal angle. Both 

 examples have the row of blue dots that are occasionally present 

 in the species, and, in both, the undersides are normal (Proc. 

 Sth. Lond. E?it. Soc, 1889, p. 129), so that each forms a combined 

 radiata- caeruleopunctata. Hamm also records (op. cit., 1894, p. 39), 

 an example with the band so interrupted as to form a regular 

 series of marginal streaks. Miss Sotheby describes a specimen, also 

 taken at Eastbourne, without the usual copper-coloured band, but 

 having a red pencil-like mark in lieu thereof. Sabine records the 

 capture, at Erith, on September 9th, 1896, of an example of normal 

 colour, but with the marginal band of the hindwings only represented 

 by slight streaks. He also notes (Ent., xxxii., p. 284) the capture, 

 in September, 1899, in the Erith district, of seven or eight specimens 

 without the red band of the hindwiugs, but having from one to five 

 red pencil-like streaks in place thereof. The example of this form, 

 figured Ent. Bee, iv., pi. D, fig. 6, was taken at Walthamstow by 

 Jackson. Oberthiir notes (Etudes, 1896, p. 13) that he has a $ and 

 $ with the nervures marked by a golden streak, thus making a 

 transition between ab. obsoleta and the type. 



e. ab. obsoleta, Tutt, "Brit. Butts.," p. 153 (1896); Wheeler, "Butts, of 

 Switz.," p. 19 (1903). Phlaeas var. f, Stphs., "Illus. Haust.," i., p. 80 (1828). 

 Phlaeas ab., Obth., "Etudes," etc., p. 13, pi. v., fig. 77 (1896). Extincta, 

 Fuchs, " Jahrb. Nass. Ver. Nat.," pp. 120, 121 (1899).— The form in which the 

 red marginal band of the hindwings is altogether obsolete (Tutt). 



This is the extreme form in the direction of the loss of the copper- 



