Gnus splitting question

[Pankaj Jangid]

If I split using a variable (`my-split-list' below), it creates a group
mail.misc on the IMAP server and rest of the emails end up in this.

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
(defvar my-split-list
  '(("cron" "^From:.*Cron Daemon")
    ("cron" "^from: OSSEC HIDS <ossecm@app1>")
    ("cron" "^from: OSSEC HIDS <ossecm@app2>")
    ("cron" "^from: OSSEC HIDS <ossecm@app3>")
    ("cron" "^from: OSSEC HIDS <ossecm@db1>")))

(add-to-list 'gnus-secondary-select-methods
             '(nnimap "otp"
                      (nnimap-address "imap.gmail.com")
                      (nnimap-inbox "INBOX")
                      (nnimap-expunge immediately)
                      (nnimap-split-methods my-split-list)))
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

But if I put the split rules inline, like the one below, rest of the
emails remain in INBOX.

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
(add-to-list 'gnus-secondary-select-methods
             '(nnimap "otp"
                      (nnimap-address "imap.gmail.com")
                      (nnimap-inbox "INBOX")
                      (nnimap-expunge immediately)
                      (nnimap-split-methods
                        (("cron" "^From:.*Cron Daemon")
                         ("cron" "^from: OSSEC HIDS <ossecm@app1>") 
                         ("cron" "^from: OSSEC HIDS <ossecm@app2>")
                         ("cron" "^from: OSSEC HIDS <ossecm@app3>")
                         ("cron" "^from: OSSEC HIDS <ossecm@db1>")))))
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

Why this difference in behaviour?