102 THE entomologist's RECORD. 



In octouiaciilana the point appears slightly beyond the middle, but 

 not so near the tip as in cltryxantlieana. This species possesses, in 

 addition to the albino form, var. albo-octoinaciilana, a slatey-grey form, 

 which might be confused with chnjaantlieana, hut if the position of the 

 end of the sacculus be kept in mind no difficulty should be experienced. 

 It should also be noted that there is a northern form of vonsperxana, 

 which bears a striking resemblance to nctnniacidana, but of course the 

 resemblance does not extend to the genitalia. 



Viniaiireana presents but little diflficult}', the small point of the 

 sacculus at the extreme end of the squared valra determining it at once. 

 When the pntnts are very hmi/ and cross each other, the collector 

 recognises the new species ijenitalana. 



In conspersana and siihjectana the pomt of the sacculus is not as a 

 rule visible, but there is not much chance of confusing these two 

 species with each other. 



In ictericana, which might well be confused with the albino forms 

 of other species, the point of the sacculus is large, black, and very low 

 down towards the base of the valva. 



In section (b), the Nephodesme group, no difficulty will be found 

 in separating b}' the wing markings aryentana, osseana, and liyeinaiia. 



In penziaua the sacculus is slightly more robust and rather more 

 curved than in cohjuhounaiia, but the difference is very small. 



In sinnana, which is really the only species over which trouble may 

 arise, the long transparent amber coloured sacculus at once separates 

 the male, and the flattened appearance of the floricomus ovipositor the 

 female, from the species in section (a). 



In nubilana the twice angled margin of the sacculus is at once 

 decisive. 



It will thus be seen that any two species liable to be mixed up in 

 the wing markings can be separated readily by the genitalia, whereas 

 in those species where the genitalia in unmoiinted examples appear to 

 run rather close, the wing parts lend assistance to their determination. 



[If any difficulty is experienced Mr. Pierce will be pleased to 

 examine and report on any series of specimens that may be submitted 

 to him at " The Elms, Dingle, Liverpool."— H.J. T.] 



A Contribution to the Life=history of Pyrgus proto. 



By. W. G. SHELDON, F.E.S. 



On May 15th, last year, I found the larvae of a Hesperid commonly 

 on a species of P/domis, since identified as P. herba-venti, at Novo- 

 rossisk, and later in the month the same larv^ were locally abundant 

 at Sarepta, on this plant. 



At the time I presumed they were either Hesperia crihrellion, or H. 

 tessellitiii , both of which species are known to feed upon I'/ilonn's, but, 

 as they did not pupate until after these were on the wing, I could only 

 conclude that they would produce some other species. 



The larvae attained their full growth at the end of May, and then 

 formed a chamber in which to pupate, eithei by spinning together the 

 edges of a leaf of their food-plant, or by forming with silk a pocket in 

 the gauze of the sleeve in which they were kept. In this chamber they 

 remained unchanged for a period of several weeks, for the majority of 

 them had certainly not pupated on my return to England on July 5th. 



