278 EPIPLEMA. By Dr. A. Seitz. 



have sometimes been placed with theGeometridae, sometimes with the Arctiidae. The Palearctic species have 

 a striking character in common in the fringes of all the wings bearing pale patches. 



nymphir P. nymphidiaria Oberth. (48 f). The basal two-thirds of both wings white, the distal third black with 



diaria. ^j, interrupted chain of white spots; costal margin of forewing broadly black with a triangular tooth at the 

 apex of cell. — Sze-chuen, West-China. Does not appear to be abundant. According to Oberthur, who de- 

 scribed it as an Abraxas, the species is an imitation of the butterfly St iboges nymphidium (cf. Macrolepidoptera 

 of the World vol. I, pi. 89 d, and vol IX, pi. 139 b). 



picaria. P. pic&ria Leech (48 f). Like nymphidiaria black and white, but the forewing with the hind part black 



to the submedian vein. The white disc of the hindwing is traversed by an oblique black band from the costa 

 to the centre of the hind margin. In the $ the white colouring i-ather more extended than in the (J. — From 

 Central China: Chang- Yang and I-chang. 



melanargia. P. melanargia Bull. (48 f). Black, a triangular basal spot, an oblique discal band and 3 spots in the 



distal-marginal area of tlic forewing straw -yellow ; moreover, the hindwing yellow with the exception of a costal 



hemime- stripe and an elbowed .spotted marginal band. In ab. hemimelaena ab. nov. (48 h), which occurs among ordinary 



laetw. gpecdmens, but is rarer, the yellow colour is so much reduced that the greater part of the hindwing is black, 



the yellow being restricted to a transverse half band and 3 isolated small anal spots. There occur intermediates 



between these two forms, which I caught in the same district. The submarginal spots of the forewing are not 



rarely joined together by yellow lines, or are confluent, which gives the insect a very variegated appearance; 



catenifer. this form I call ab. catenifer ab. nov. — The species is extraordinarily variable; among a number of specimens 



caught by me in the same places at Hiogo and Yokohama hardly two are alike. I did not discover 



the larva inspite of diligent search, probably because at that time I thought the larva to be a looper. The 



moth is abundant late in the summer, even in the gardens of the towns, on field-paths and mountain-slopes. 



It flies by day and superficially resembles on the wing certain forms of Parasemia plantaginis (cf. pi. 16 f), 



but its flight is much slower. 



7. Genus: Epipleiua H.-Schdff. 



This genus, better known under the name of Erosin, contains a large number of highly peculiar small 

 moths and is distributed over all the continents with the only exception of Europe. 



Head small. Eyes large. Proboscis present. Palpi of medium length, obliquely upturned. Thorax 

 strong. Abdomen not reaching the anal angle of hmdwmg. The M'ings sometimes with peculiar lobes ; there is 

 nearly always a tooth at the apex of the upper median vein of the hindwing and a second below the apex, the 

 margin being sinuous between them. In the forewing vein 5 originates from upper cell-angle, 6 and 7 are stalked 

 together, likewise 8 and 9. At rest the fore- and hindwings are held separated, the former being some- 

 times curiously folded and extended. Otherwise the habits resemble those of small Geometers, e. g. 

 AcidaUa; like these the Epiplema rest on tree-trunks or smooth walls, fly at night, and in daytime when flushed 

 only take to the wing for short distances. — • The larvae are stout, with sparse hair; 16 feet. ■ — Most species 

 are not rare where they occur. As a large proportion of the species which touch Palearctic territory is Indian, 

 some of the species here mentioned will be figured in the Indian volume (vol. X) of this work. 



himala. E. himala Butl. White; fore^raig with 3 transverse line which converge at the hind -margin; hindwing 



with orange-yellow smear and black spot in the centre of the distal margin. True himalu occurs in the Himalayas ; 

 whether it is also found on Palearctic territory is not known to me.- — -But in the Palearctic district of Inner 

 China, in Sze-chuen, occur smaller and paler specimens in which the spot of the hindwing is lighter yellow and 

 evanescens. smaller, the transverse Imes of the forewing being obsolescent or quite absent; this is evanescens Alph. (= auro- 

 guttata Pouj.) (48 i). At the Honton River and the Fu-hian-ho, in August; also at Mupin in Sze-chuen. 



exornata. E. exornata Ev. (= exornataria H.-Schdff., rapha Butl.) (48i). White, in the distal area variegated 



with brown and bearing dark markings; distantly resembles ^-1cvV/«?m» decorataBorkh . in size and facies. In East 

 hicaudata. Asia, from Kiaclita to Amurland and Japan. In June and July. — The form from Kashmir, bicaudata Moore, 

 has the markmgs in the outer area soniewhat narrower; this form is also known from Ningpo and I-chang. 



mibifascia- E. nubifasclarla Butl. Similar to the previous species; creamy white, the basal half with a dull blackish 



""• tone. Forewing beyond centre with a brown band with blackish edges, distally to the band a large irregular 

 blackish grey cloud occupying the whole marginal area with the exception of the apex and bearing at its outer 

 edge a slightly curved black transverse spot. Hindwing with blackish markings in the basal area, median band 

 and dark cloud as on the forewing; discal dot black, elongate. — Described from a single q from Chang- Yang, 

 obtained in August. 



erasaria. E. erasaria Christ. (48 k). The forewing of this species is light coloured and almost without markmgs, 



only the area near the hind angle and a place near the larger smus of the distal margm situated below the apex 



