1911.) 203 



SOME INTEEESTING BRITISH INSECTS (IV) 

 BY G. T. POKRITT, F.L.S., AND E. K. BANKES, M.A., F.E.S. 



(Plate III). 



The Plate iu this uiimber contains illustrations of nine species 

 of Lejiidoptera (inckiding a variety), of which little has been known 

 in Britain imtil the past few years. 



Fig. 1. — Zijgxna trifoUi ab. ohscnra, Tiitt. This very fine form 

 of Zygxna trifoUi was taken, and bred from cocoons collected from 

 ling, sparingly, during the three seasons 1908 — 10, by the late Dr. G. 

 C. Hodgson, in Sussex. It seems to be a parallel variety to the ab. 

 chrysanthemi, Borkh., of Zygpena filipendnlie, which has also been 

 taken rarely in England. Dr. Hodgson called the form ab. daimon, 

 and probably distributed specimens under that name. The form with 

 confluent spots occurs in the variety as in the type. g. t. p. 



Figs. 2, 2(7. — Nonagria neurica, Hubn., ^. — Taken for the first 

 time iu Britain on July 22nd, 1908, by Messrs. Edwin P. Sharp and 

 A. J. Wightman, in the Cuckmere Valley of Sussex. Mr. H. M. 

 Edelsten detected it at once as differing from the species which had 

 for so many years stood in our Lists and Collections as neurica, and 

 which must now be labelled arundineta, Schmidt. N. neurica can be 

 separated immediately by its white collar or crest, which is wanting 

 in arundiiieta. Other differences are, that in iieurica the central 

 blackish streak contains three white dots, and the underside is without 

 marking. It is, too, a more slender insect than the other. Since its 

 discovery it has been taken in moderate numbers, but as yet, Mr. 

 Sharp tells me, in only one ditch. Fig. 6a shows the form of the 

 crest. G. T. p. 



Fig. 3. — XyJophasia zoU iko fer i, Frr., ^. — The insect figured was 

 shaken out of a bunch of dry leaves at Methley, near Leeds, by 

 Mr. J. T. Wigin, on August 12th, 1910, and is the fifth recorded 

 specimen taken iu Britain. The previovis records are : one by Mr. 

 Harding, at Deal, early in October, 1867, and now in the late 

 Mr. Henry Doubleday's collection at Bethnal Green Museum ; one by 

 Mr. Tait, at Inverurie, near Aberdeen, in September, 1871 ; one by 

 Mr. T. A. Lofthouse, at sugar, at Linthorpe, Middlesbrough, on 

 September 26th, 1903 ; and one by Mr. A. Plunkett, at Carrow, near 

 Norwich, on September 4th, 1905. It is a very variable species, and 

 has a fairly wide range in mid Europe, and in Asia, but apparently is 

 not very common anywhere, and nothing whatever seems to be known 

 of its life-history. g. t. p. 



