S2 ORODEMNIAS; ORONCUS. By Dr. A. Seitz. 



stripp of the forewing is interrupted in the centre by the dark ground-colour. 'J'he hindwing is slightly 

 angulate, red, hut also sometimes yellow (caucasica flava). — It must also be mentioned that a series of 

 forms of plantaginis have been erected for North American specimens, and are sometimes treated as varie- 

 ties of a separate species, sometimes as varieties of flantaginis. e. g. modestu, petrosa, cichorii, selwynii. 

 scudderi, geddesi, geometrica, coespiiis, which are dealt with in the American part (Vol. 6). — Larva black 

 at both ends, with dark hair, the median rings reddish brown with foxy hairs, long bristles posteriorly; head 

 black. From the autumn until ^lay. on low-growing plants. Pupa dark brown with strong bristles poste- 

 riorly; in a loose cocoon. The moths arc on the wing in June, in the higher Alps until August. The $$ 

 rest on leaves of low-growang herbs, and when flushed only fly a fmv paces before settling again. The (^'o 

 are on the wing in daytime, being most lively in the afternoon, and have a rapid and piecipitous flight, 

 k{H'ping about a yard from the ground; they are found especially in meadows in woods on alpine pastures 

 and on broad roads overgi'own with grass. When on the wing they sometimes make a distinct clicking 

 noise. They are usually very common wherever they occur, and the different aberrations are found siinong 

 ordinary specimens in a varying degree of abundance. 



47. Genus: Oroileninias Wallgr. 



This genus, like Parasemia, is distributed over the whole Xorthern Hemisphere, and intergrndes 

 imperceptibly with the American genus Apantesis, as whose boreal representative Orodemnkts may be re- 

 garded. Three forms may be considered to belong to the Old World and thrive to the New, while quenselii 

 belongs to both hemispheres. Orodemnias is much stouter than I'arasemia. The small head is almost hidden 

 under the collar; the antennae of the (J^J are almost simple like those of the $$, the thorax of the $$ 

 is l)road, the abdomen black in the centre with yellow or red markings laterally; the palpi shoit; tongue 

 aborted; forewing dull ivory yellow and black. As far as is known, the species live in the temperate 

 regions only at a considerable height in the mountains; but in the extreme North they inhabit the plains. 

 They seem to require plenty of snow. The larvae have short hairs with longer ones only posteriorly, and 

 sometimes hiliernate several times before developing into the short-lived moths. 



lurbuns. 0. turbans Christ. (16 g). This moth superficially resembles Parasemia phi)itaginis, but the forewing 



is densely reticulated with cream-colour like quenselii. The $ is distinguished from the (J figured especially 

 by the costal area of the hindwing being black in the basal half. From the higher mountains of Mongolia, 

 Dauria and Kentei, where it rejjresents the following species. 



quenselii. 0. quenselii Pa?/fe»/Z (= strigosa i^.) (IGg). Forewing almost exactly as in the preceding species, 



but the light veins narrower, often only as thick as a hair, on a black ground: hindwing blackish grey, 

 in the $ spotted with orange-yellow in the outer area; fringes of both wings whitish yellow. In the 

 highest Alps, especially in the Vallais (Riffel Alp) and Engadine, in the Tyrolean Alps (Antholzer Alp), 

 in Graubiinden, on the Bernina Pass and the Daniser Alp; in the Tauei-n and again the Tore disti'ict 

 Utnrala. in Lapland. Also in closely allied forms in North America {gelida). — liturata Men. is the East-Siberian 

 form, with pure white stripes on the forewing and with the yelloAv of the hindwing increased so as to 

 fdlloni. be predominant. — • al). falioui Jourdlieuil is a rare ^-^orm with the forewing yellowish white without mark- 

 ings and golden yellow bindwings, which are darker in the basal area. High Alps of the Vallais. Certain 

 American quenselii-iorms, e. g. complicata Walk., form a transition between this aberration and American 

 species of Apantesis, as e. g. the much larger virguivcida. — ■ Larva black, with a median line comjjosed 

 of light dots, and black warts bearing dark hairs dorsally and reddish brown ones laterally. On stone- 

 covered slopes and on pastures with short grass, until May on low-growing plants. They are said to 

 attack other larvae together with which they are confined. The moth from June, flying also in daytime, 

 in some years very rare, in others common. 



cervini. 0. cervini i^a/L (16 g). Forewing dull ivory yellow, more or less tinged with reddish and spotted 



with black-brown. Hindwing of (^ dirty yellowish, with greyish black spots at and before the margin; 

 in the $ sooty grej', with light markings })efore the margin. In the Vallais, especially at Zermatt. ■ — The 

 hnatecki. form hnatecki Freij (16 g) is larger, the cohnir alike in both sexes, with strongly reduced dark markings 

 of the forewing and almost entirely yellow hindwing; from a locality in the Alps of the Vallais which is 

 not more definitely known. ■ — • Larva black, with black head and warts; a longitudinal stripe of grey- 

 green hairs dorsally and a light dorsal line which fades as the larva grows older; resting among stones or 

 on the bare ground; until Juno on Saxifraga and other low-growing plant. Pupa reddish brown with 

 light segmental incisions, under stones in a loose cocoon. Many larvae are ichneumoned, the pupa being 

 much infested with a species of Pimpla (Wackeezapp). 



48. Genus: OroncU!>i gen. 7iov. 



I place here several .\rctiids which were hitherto either included in Pericaliia. rather unnatmally, 

 near matrontila, or have onh- lateh been deserilted. Head rather small; froiis narrcjw, i-oughlv hairv; eyes 



