CdNtRIBUTIONS TO THE FAUNA OF THE DAUPHIN^ ALi>S. 141 



three weeks earlier would have produced better results. Still, the 

 number of species was large and, in themselves, not uninteresting. 



Sphingides. — Ma':n}(/losHa stcllatanun. — Evidently just emerging, a 

 few specimens were captured, apparently just out of pupa. They 

 affected flowers, not walls. 



Saturniides. — iSatuniia pijri. — A few larvffi were brought into 

 the hotel, in the yellow stage (just preceding pupation), and mostly 

 injured. They were, from their colour, evidently the victims of acci- 

 dent, whilst in search of a pupating place. 



Lasiocampides. — Cliniocampa neustria. — The males of a pale yellow 

 or buff form came up freely to light one evening. A specimen 

 of (jrastroparha quercifoUa (?) came also on the same evening. 



Cheloniides. — CalUmorpha hera. — This species was not really 

 common, although specimens were met with here, there and every- 

 where. They were in fine condition, and, as usual, hanging on 

 flowers, from which they started off swiftly when disturbed. All the 

 specimens were of the red form, neither ab. lutescins nor ab. saturnina 

 putting in an appearance. Neiiieophila nissula. — A few male specimens 

 were disturbed. These were evidently freshly emerged, but in such 

 small numbers, that we suspect this second brood is only very partial 

 as to numbers, although very general as to appearance in this dis- 

 trict at low elevations. Eulepia cribrwn ab. Candida.— We are begin- 

 ning to doubt whether Candida really is co-specific with E. cribrum. 

 It has a wide range in Dauphine and Piedmont, and appears to exist 

 from an altitude of 2,500 to 6,000 ft. Only two or three specimens 

 Avere captured here. Lithosia lutarella var. pygmaeula. — We are asto- 

 nished to see {Brit. Ta'p.) that Mr. Barrett is one of those who doubts 

 the specific identity of these insects. We are not aware whether 

 he has ever seen either or both forms alive. At Bourg d'Oisans this 

 species came to light, to the hotel windows. All the specimens were 

 quite typical pi/(j)naeola, except one, and might have been captured on 

 the Deal sand-hills ; the one exception was a very good intermediate 

 between the golden lutarella, from the higher Alpine regions, and the 

 pale var. pijipnacola. This capture of the type at Bourg d'Aru and 

 in the lower part of the Cogne Valley, fixes the range of the type at 

 above 4,000 ft. elevation. The species flew by day, and also came 

 to light at night. Lithosia complana. — Not uncommon on flowers by 

 day, also came to light. The specimens are exceedingly pale grey, 

 with the costa very pale yellow ; in one (ab. pallida, nov. ab.) the 

 specimen is of such a pale grey ground-colour, and the costal streak 

 so nearly white, that one might easily suspect the specimen to be 

 L. caniula. These are very different from the Tyrolean (Mendel 

 Pass) specimens, which have very dark fore-wings, but have none 

 of the dark shading that characterise our " Moss " var. sericea. 

 Lithosia lurideola. — Almost typical, although a little pale. This also 

 was found on the flowers by day, and came to light. L. unita ab. 

 flaveola. — Two specimens appear to be referable to this form, as 

 diagnosed by Staudinger : " al. ant. flavis, al. post, unicolor." Stau- 

 dinger records this aberration from " Spain and Hungary." We 

 have also taken it in the neighbourhood of Aosta, so that France and 

 Italy must be added to the distribution of this form. Naclia ancilla. — 

 One specimen only came to light. We did not, therefore, learn any- 

 thing beyond this of the habits of this little species. 



