NOTES ON PHORODESiAlA (cOJIIB^NA) PUSTULATA, HUFN. 203 



11. Third leg of 0. Corsica, ? x 14. 



12. Forewing of O. coi-ifica, ? x 14. 



13. Hindwing of O. Corsica, ? x 14. 



14. Month-parts of (). Corsica, ? x 14. 



15. Antenna of O. Corsica, ? x 14. 



16. Ovipositor of O. cordca, ? x 14. 



17. Antenna of O aurolhnhata, ? x 14. 



18. Height and width of eggs of {a) <). ponostinma, (h) (). Corsica, x 20. 

 Compare with tig. 17, pi. v. 



Notes on Phorodesma (Comibaena) pustulata, Hufn. {mth jdate). 



By Eev. C. R. N. BUEEOWS. 

 {L'onciuih'd from ji. 177.) 



I am informed by Mr. Prout that the short series of Comibaena 

 ( = Phorudesiiia) piistnlata in the British Museum collection, consists of 

 two examples from Britain, two from Pomerania, one from Stettin, two 

 from Germany and si.s^ from Europe, without more exact indica- 

 tion. Variation is very slight, but one or two (notably one of 

 the two labelled " Germany ") have the two white lines on the 

 forewings better expressed, the inner one thicker, and very little 

 of the flesh-colour in the pale blotches, practically none in that at 

 anal angle of hindwing. There are 28 other species placed in the 

 genus Voniibaoia at the British Museum, mostly having, more or 

 less, the same type of pattern and colouring as V. pustulata, but none, 

 except the following, appearing to be really the near allies of it — 

 neriaria, H.-S., from Syria, and its relations procumbaria, Pryer, and 

 ornataria, Leech, from .Japan. The others are natives of various parts 

 of Asia and Africa, two even from tropical America, and one from Fiji, 

 Staudinger and Rebel {(Jataloi/, 3rd ed., p. 262) give nrriaria as a 

 var. of /'. jiui<tiilata, though adding " an sp. diversa ? " and they add as 

 the area of distribution of the type, from "Central Europe, Denmark, 

 southern Sweden, Livonia, Bilbao, Andalusia, north Balkan Peninsula, 

 south Russia, central Taurus region, northern Asia Minor, and 

 ? Armenia," whilst for var. neriaria they give " Greece, Syria, 

 southern and central Taurus region and Armenia." 



Mr. Prout adds that from the material in the British Museum 

 collection he would decidedly incline to agree with the authorities there 

 in making neriaria a distinct species, Staudinger's diagnosis of the 

 insect " maculis testaceis marginalibus deficientibus," may be supple- 

 mented by the fact that it is the blotches themselves that are very 

 much reduced, not merely the testaceous parts of them. I have my- 

 self examined these specimens and quite agree with Mr. Prout as to 

 the specific distinctness of neriaria, which appears to me to be 

 marked by (1) its larger size, (2) its more pointed forewings, (3) the 

 much larger and more distinct discoidal spot, as well as the more 

 restricted spots already noticed, I must acknowledge my indebtedness 

 to Mr. Bacot for the following technical descriptions of the egg, larvje, 

 and pupje. 



Ovum (Received from the Rev. C. R. N. Burrows, August 6th, 

 1902) : A very flat e^g, in outline a short rounded oval with the 

 micropylar end imperfect, as though it had been cut off. The 

 measurements being — length -Omm., width •7mm., and thickness 



* Bead before the City of London Entomological Society, March 17tb, I'JOa. 



