1882.1 57 



ON NYCTE3IERA JBIFORMIS, OP MABILLE, AND TWO OTHEE 

 FORMS OF NYCTEMEEIBJE FROM MADAGASCAR. 



BY ARTHUR G. BUTLER, F.L.S., F.Z.S., &c. 



Nyctemera hiformis (incorrectly spelt Niclitliemera by its author) 

 was described by M. Mabille in 1878 (Bull. Soc. Zool. de France) from 

 specimens forwarded to him by Mr. Henley G. Smith. 



In 1879 we obtained a specimen agreeing with the description of 

 the female, a white insect with dark grey-brown borders to the wings 

 (scarcely nigris, Mab.), and in the following year we added an example 

 answering to that of the male, i. e., front wings smoky-brown, with a 

 paler semi-transparent central patch above ; hind-wings white, with 

 the basal area and a broad abdominal border, extending a little beyond 

 the first median branch, smoky-grey or grey-brown, and with a rather 

 broad black external border ; below all the wings white, with the ex- 

 ternal borders and the internal border of the primaries smoky-brown. 



Upon comparing these two specimens with one another, and with 

 M. Mabille's description, I saw nothing to prevent their being sexes 

 of one species, beyond the fact that no other species in the Nyctemeridce 

 shows a similar discrepancy of pattern in the sexes ; the singularity 

 of this supposed instance, moreover, was indicated by its author in 

 the name which he gave to the species ; therefore, nntil a few weeks 

 back, I allowed them to stand together in the Museum series. 



This year, however, we have received a female from the Eev. 

 Deans Cowan, which corresponds with the male previously received ; 

 the only difference being that the white area on the secondaries is a 

 little smaller than in that insect ; in this respect, however, it agrees 

 still more closely with M. Mabille's description of the male : the 

 female of that description is thus proved to belong to a distinct 

 species. Both forms will fall into Boisduval's genus Leptosoma rather 

 than into typical Nyctemera. 



Leptosoma Mabillei, sp. nov. 



Nichthemera {sic) hiformis, $ , Mabille. 

 $ . Allied to L. hiformis, but ■white : the wings with rather broad greyish- 

 brown external borders, which become gradually narrower towards the posterior 

 angles ; primaries with a very slender brown costal margin and a broad grey-brown 

 internal streak from near the base to the posterior or external angle ; anus ochreous ; 

 pectus ochreous, with a black spot on each side ; legs and venter white, the latter 



spotted with black ; primaries below without an internal streak. 



Expanse of wings, 51 mm. 

 Antananarivo, Madagascar. 



The two following new species of the genus Hylemera have re- 

 centlv been received: 



