56 
Spilosoma ubticae. —A series of K6 specimens were reared from ova 
laid by a female captured in June, 1898, at the Norfolk Broads. The 
larvae were fed on various garden weeds, chiefly plantains. My brood 
is very variable, both as regards number and strength of the spots. I 
have not had much experience with this species previously, but am 
told that these specimens show a much greater amount of spotting 
than is usually the case with S. mticae. Owing to the simplicity of its 
pattern and coloration, this species is admirably suited for working 
out variation in detail, and my notes are more extended than with the 
previous species. 
I have divided the spots on the forewings into three groups for 
convenience in classifying: basal, central and marginal. It is 
necessary to state that the actual basal sjxit itself I have left out of 
account altogether, because it is so frequently obscured by the long hairs 
of the thorax. When any doubt existed as to a spot being present or 
absent I examined the specimen with a powe.ful hand lens, and have 
counted even a single black scale as a spot. Fifty are males = 60%, 34 
females=40%. 
Himhvintfs: 64% of the males and 35% of the females have no 
central spot = 52% of the whole brood. Only 6% have marginal spots 
on the hindwings, and all of these are males. 
Fureu iwjs: The central group of spots is the most constant, all the 
specimens, both males and females, having one or more spots belonging 
to the group. Of the marginal group, 98% of the males, and 94% of 
the females = 96%of the brood show traces of this group. Of the basal 
group, 62% of the males and 53% of the females = 58% of the brood 
show at least traces. 
17% of the hrood have 5 or less than 5 spots on the forewings, 8% of the males 
and 29% of the females. 
89% of the brood have more than .5 spots on the forewings, 92% of the males 
and 71% of the females. 
40% of the brood have more than 10 spots on the forewings, 48% of the males 
and 29% of the females. 
14% of the brood have more than 15 spots on the forewings, 12% of the males 
and 18% of the females. 
4% of the brood have more than 20 spots on the forewings, 2% of the males 
and 6% of the females. 
Thirty-six per cent of the entire brood (32% of the males and 41% 
of the females) are asymmetrical as regards the actual number of spots 
on the forewings. In making this calculation I have allowed a single 
black scale on one wing to balance a spot composed of several black 
scales on the other. If the size of the spots were taken into account, a 
very much larger proportion would be counted as asymmetrical. 
One female has the forewing marginal group of spots on the left 
hand side, while another female has this group on the right wing only. 
Three males have the central spot of the hindwings on the right hand 
wing only. One male has this spot much darker on the right than 
the left wing, while three males show this spot on the underside of 
wings only. Of three females, two show the central spot of the hind¬ 
wing on the underside of the left wing only. Five females show the 
central spot of the hindwings on the underside only. One female 
shows the central spot of the hindwings on the underside only, but 
that on the left wing is very much larger than that on the right. The 
central spot of the hindwings is, 1 believe, a tolerably constant feature 
in the allied ■% iiicnl/atstn , but unfortunately 1 have not a large enough 
