102 



THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



colour and markings, that no character can 

 be given, that know I of, by which it can be 

 distinguished with any degree of certainty. 

 There are several very distinct forms, which 

 actually differ more from each other than 

 some of them do from other species, These 

 are all closely connected by intermediate 

 forms, while the most nearly allied species 

 have certain characters by which they can 

 be separated. I scarcely hope to be able 

 to clear away all the difficulties connected 

 with this species, but may remove some of 

 them, and experience will remove the rest. 



Oculea expands about an inch and a quarter, 

 and, like the other members of the genus, 

 has a row of little tufts down the abdomen. 

 The reniform stigma is generally well defined, 

 and in one form is unusually distinct. In 

 colour the wings vary from very pale brown, 

 to black brown, and these shades occur with 

 each form of marking. The plainest speci- 

 mens are pale brown, with greyish reniform 

 stigma, but, except a sort of mottling, there 

 are no markings on the wings, this form 

 varies through darker shades, until you find 

 them nearly black, and then the white out- 

 line of the stigma shows very distinct, almost 

 as much so, though not so large, as that of 

 Mamcstva persicaria, I believe these darkest 

 specimens are the Noctua lugeus, of Haworth. 

 Sometimes the stigma is yellow instead of 

 white. The next form may be described as 

 having the costal half of the wing much ! 

 darker than the inner half. This varies, not ! 

 only in intensity of colour, but in the shape j 

 of the darker markings. In some specimens j 

 the dark costal mark extends across the j 

 centre of the wing, while the hind margin i , \ 

 also often clouded with darker shades. Thi ,, 

 I believe, is Haworth's Noctua fuvca. A 

 third form has the central portion of the 

 wing, between the usual lines, of a darker 

 shade; the basil portion of the hind margin 

 being paler. This also is a very distinct 

 looking insect In one variety of it there is 

 a well marked dark dash below the stigma, 

 connecting the two lines : this is Haworth's 



I-niger. The darkest specimens of the first 

 form I have already said are like M. persi- 

 caria, but they can be readily distinguished, 

 for persicarL? is a much larger insect, expand- 

 fully an inch and a half, and has the reniform 

 stigma much larger. Besides this, the hind 

 wing is whitish towards the base, with a dark 

 grey lunule, while the hind wing of oculea is 

 always dark smoky brown. Distinctly 

 marked specimens of the second form rather 

 resemble A. ophiogramma, but the costal mark 

 on ophiogramma does not extend either to the 

 base or tip of the wing. Ophiogramma also 

 has always a pale thorax, with a dark brown 

 line across the front ; while the thorax of 

 oculea is always dark brown. The third form, 

 as well as some of the paler varieties of the 

 first, are not unlike some specimens of A, 

 imanimis, but from this they are easily dis- 

 tinguished, for unanamis has a dark streak 

 from the base of the fore wing, and another 

 below it at the inner margin ; it also always 

 has a lunule on the hind wing. Ophiogramma 

 and unanimis are the only two species likely 

 to be confounded with oculea, but a careful 

 attention to the characters given will, with a 

 little practice, enable any one to discriminate 

 between them. I would; however, caution 

 our young readers never to throw away a 

 peculiarly marked specimen because they 

 think it oculea ; they had better be quite sure, 

 or consult soms one. else. Oculea occurs 

 almost everywhere, in great abundance, in 

 the months of July and August. It comes to 

 light, swarms at sugar, is plentiful at flowers, 

 may be taken on palings, or on the wing. 

 In fact, while it is out, it would be difficult to 

 go where oculea could not be obtained. 



PROTOPLASM. 



By J. P. Soutter, Bishop Auckland. 



Within the whole range of physical science 

 there is perhaps no subject about which 

 there has been more misconception and mis- 

 representation amongst a certain section of 



