THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 75 



segment by sordid white. Extreme cold, as well as prolonged low 

 temperature, with the males, seems to destroy or disintegrate the black of 

 the scaling near inner angle of primaries, reducing it near apex more or 

 less, leaving in extreme forms only a few costal spots and at base two 

 broad black dashes ; the hind wings losing besides the black marginal 

 spots even the pinkish abdominal margin. 



The females are far less inclined to yield in regard to colour and 

 design to the stimulating influences of temperature. Heat mostly widens 

 especially the transverse anterior band, and the deep red of the hind 

 wings is changed to a much paler colour. Low temperature, namely 

 excessive cold, also affects the inner angle of primaries as in the male, but 

 in a far less radical manner ; while at the middle and basal area the black 

 predominates, replacing even the transverse bands ; leaving only the 

 white submedian stripe with a trace of median line. The hind wings also 

 change to a paler colour and the maculation is reduced in size. 



Among the immense number of individuals reared, not a single male 

 was obtained with pinkish hind wings, or a female with yellow second- 

 aries ; though many specimens had the black maculation bordered by 

 pale orange, as is often the case with other species of the genus. Melanic 

 forms have a dusky shade cast over the white bands, often only the upper 

 part of primaries to median vein is thus affected. 



The weakened condition of the inbred generations made itself evident 

 by an inclination to morbid diseases during the larval period and in 

 general smaller size and less intense colours of the moths. 



Arctia proxima may be at once distinguished from its nearest relation 

 and neighbour, Arctia incorrupta, Hy. Edw. (Papilio I., p. 38*), by the 

 total absence of the basal half-band in proxima ; besides, the " median 

 vein is narrowly and continuously lined with white scales" in the latter 

 species (Neum. & Dyar, Revis. of Bombyces). 



In size proxima varies not inconsiderably ; the offspring reared 

 from Los Angeles parents reaching 4.3 Cm. $ c? , and 5.2 Cm. 9 ?; 

 Morelos and Arizona progenies from 3.5 to 4.2 Cm. $ $ , and 3.7 to 4.7 



Cm. $ 9. 



Male and female proxima mostly remain in coitu for about twelve 

 hours ; one pair even being unfortunate enough to be unable to separate 



*Probably by an error in proof-reading the text on page 39, Papilio, I., reads: "3 

 females, Prescott, Ariz.; i male. Dalles, Oregon." Henry Edwards had no females of this 

 species. In his collection at the Museum of Nat. Hist., New York City, are 3 males 

 from Prescott, Ariz., and i male from Dalles, Oregon, 



