80 September, 



A NEW SPECIES OF EUPITHECIA. 

 BY THE REV. H. HARPUR CREWE, M.A. 



Some three years ago I received from Mr. Ficklin, of Keynsham, 

 near Bristol, specimens of Eupithecia which he had bred from larvae 

 taken the previous September, in North Devon, feeding in the seed- 

 heads of Jasione Montana. At first sight I was disposed to consider 

 them a variety of JEup. castigata, and in this view Mr. Buckler, who 

 also saw the specimens, concurred. I forbore, however, to give any 

 definite opinion till I had seen the larva. The same autumn Mr. 

 Ficklin again took the larva in North Devon, and very kindly sent 

 specimens to Mr. Buckler and myself. We at once saw that they 

 bore no resemblance whatever to the larva of castigata, but though 

 smaller and stouter, most closely resembled that of Eup. campanulata. 

 As ; however, the perfect insect was entirely distinct from the latter 

 species, I felt convinced it must be a species new to Britain. 



Through the kindness of Mr. McLachlan the perfect insects have 

 recently been carefully examined by Herr C. Dietze, of Baden-Baden, 

 who probably knows more about Continental Eupithecice than any 

 one else. 



He is unable to identify Mr. Ficklin 's insect with any known 

 species, and considers it new to science. 



With the consent, therefore, of Mr. Ficklin, to whom the whole 

 of the discovery is due, I propose to name it : — 



Eupithecia Jasio> t eata. 



In general appearance it closely resembles castigata, but the ground-colour is a 

 much paler ashy-grey. The dark central lunule of the front wing is round, not 

 narrowed, and before the hind margin there is a very conspicuous, almost uniformly 

 broad, acutely angled, pale whitish line, which forms the most distinguishing charac- 

 teristic of the insect. 



Description of the larva : — 



Short and stout. Ground-colour pale ochreous-brown. Central dorsal line dull 

 olive-brown interspersed with lozenge-shaped spots of a similar colour, becoming con- 

 fluent and merged in the dorsal line on the anal segments. Head blackish. Spiracular 

 line indistinct, yellowish on each side, slanting brown markings. Whole larva 

 wrinkled and rough and sparsely studded with yellowish warts and hairs. 



Feeds in September on seeds of Jasione montana. Perfect insect 

 appears in May. 



Drayton Beauchamp Eectory, Tring : 

 August 6th, 1881. 



