154. ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May, '05 



Variation in Callimorpha. 

 BY GEORGE COVERDALE, Hart P. O., Vernon Parish, La. 



I read with much interest the article in the January, 1903 

 number of the ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS, entitled " Variation in 

 Haploa," by H. W. M<?rrick. After inspecting the plate I 

 decided to send you a pen and ink sketch of some forms of a 

 moth which I supposed must be a " Callimorpha^ as in habits 

 and structure it seemed to me closely to resemble the European 

 species Callimorpha dominula and C. hera with which I used to 

 be acquainted in the old country. This sketch was made long 

 ago, in 1888, and I am sure they are all of the same species, 

 being taken at one time and place. The European Callimor- 

 pha, as you probably know, are more gorgeous than this insect, 

 being bright scarlet, yellow and black, but if this is not a Cal- 

 limorpha it is very close kin. I don't know how I came to call it 

 C. suffusa. I suppose I gave it that name myself as I have had 

 to do with hundreds of American species, as I have very little 

 American literature and no correspondents who seem to know 

 anything. When I take a specimen, for instance, a Eupcthecia 

 or Grapholitha, Lithocollctes or Ncpticula, I place it in that 

 genus (European) where it seems best to belong, then give it a 

 specific name of my own, label it and record it, and afterwards 

 record it in my journal by the same name. I should be glad of 

 any help you could give me in the identification of species. 



After comparing your plate in the ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS 

 with my sketch I am compelled to state that I do not consider 

 C. suffusa to be the same species as Haploa contigua or H. mili- 

 taris. The character of the markings is essentially different 

 and they do not vary along the same lines. It is very inter- 

 esting to note these wonderful differences and resemblances, 

 and is a source of exquisite pleasure to the genuine student of 

 nature. I should be glad if you could give me the name of 

 my species or name it for me if it has not one.* I remember to 

 have taken a few specimens of another species which I call C. 

 ochrea. These species of Callimorpha are both extremely local, 

 as are also the European species. When pinned they both 

 exude a bright yellow fluid, and there are other points of 

 resemblance which I could enumerate. If the enclosed sketch 

 would, in your opinion, be of any interest to the readers of the 

 NEWS, you are at liberty to reproduce it or make any use you 

 like of it. 



* Specimens of these Callimorphas were sent to Dr. Dyar who replied 

 as follows : " The Callimorpha is colona var. rcversa Stretch. Suffusa 

 Smith, is a synonym thereof. Colona is a yellow form with the same 

 marks. The white form \%flvicosta Clemens." 



