404 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XVI. 



EPIPLEMIM. 



DlRADES UNICAUDA, HmpSn. 



I have recently reared a number of both sexes of this species from 

 larvae found feeding upon the young leaves and buds of Gardenia. 

 The male is exactly similar in shape and markings to Hampson's 

 figure of JD trades binotata, Hinpsn., but cannot be identical with it, as 

 D. binotata is placed as synonymous with D. theclata, Moore, in Moths 

 of India, Vol. Ill, and this latter species is figured as having veins 2, 5, 

 6, and 7 developed in the hindwing of the male, which is not the ease 

 in my specimens. The females eared by me have all the veins of the 

 hindwing developed, and correspond fairly well with Hampson's figure 

 of Erosia unicauda in 111. Hot. VIII, tig. 21, which is undoubtedly a 

 female though recorded as a male. Were it not for the neuration of 

 D. theclata being distinctly shewn as more or less normally formed in 

 Moths of India and the sexual patch shewing it to be a male, I should have 

 said that the insect called D. theclata was the female of D. unicauda, 

 jiS the description of the former corresponds fairly well with the latter. 



The accompanying sketch shews the neuration of the hindwings of 

 both sexes of D. unicauda bred by me. 



Fold containing pale - 



flocculent scales. 



The larva is brownish grey covered over with shiny black tubercles 

 with yellowish suffusion round their bases each bearing a few short 

 hairs. The cocoon is formed of particles of mould or dry leaves wtbbed 

 together below or on the surface of the ground. My specimens were 

 in the pupa state for ten days and emerged in August and September. 



The female insect has the forewing identically similar to the male, 

 but it is more violaceous. The hindwing is violaceous grey with the 

 media] line angled on vein 4, and the postmedial area with a somewhat 

 shining reddish subcostal patch. The tails are well developed at the 

 extremities of veins 4 and 7 and less so at vein 6. Vein 5 is very weak 

 but traceable nearly to the base, the discoce41ular veins are wanting. 

 (Vein 5 at first sight appears very distinct owing to its being in the 

 line of the wing fold, but it is scarcely recognisable in a transparency.) 



