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TARSOLEPIS; DUDUSA. By Dr. K. C4rtjnberg. 



in the Noctuids, the distal margin evenly rounded; the hindwing as a rule much paler than the forewing, but 

 the anal angle, on which lies the dorsal tooth of the forewing when the wings are folded in rest-position, has 

 mostly the same colour and stile of marking as the forewing. Legs rather short and strong, the tibiae usually 

 strongly hairy and in this case the anterior ones stretched forward when at rest ; hind tibia with 2 pairs of spurs, 

 fore tibia often with 1 pair. — Egg seniiglobular, very flat. Larva in first stage with very large head, later 

 on the facies often strongly modified and some structures abnormally enlarged, this being the case sometimes 

 with the tails, sometimes with the posterior segments, or dorsal humps, or the thoracical legs. Pupa ob- 

 tuse, rather strongly chitinised, some naked and without protection in the ground, others enclosed in a protec- 

 tive cover of leaves drawn together, or in a cocoon made of paperlike silk or even of bark gnawed into bits 

 and formed into a hard wooden shell. 



As mentioned above, the family of Notodontidae has not yet been sharply defined. Formerly considered 

 as one of the most generalised families, the Proniinents nowadays more and more come to be regarded as a recent 

 grup strongly complicated by adaptations, and showmg affuaities to the Saturnids and especially the Sphingids. 



1. Genus: Tarsolepis Butl. 



This genus contains 3 species, which are among the largest known Indian Notodonts. The largest 

 species, T. fulgurifera Walk., occurs in North India, a second species is found on the Sunda Islands, and the 

 third is widely distributed, also occurring over a large area of the Palearctic Region. In the (J the antenna is 

 simple, or pectinate to beyond centre, base with dense tuft of scales, the apical portion setiform like the 

 entire antenna of the $. Palpi upturned to nearly to centre of frons, segments 1 and 2 broad with scaling, 

 end-segment short, cylindrical, thin, distinctly marked. Proboscis strong. Eyes naked. Abdomen long 

 and slender, with dense anal tuft of remarkably large long-stalked scales. Forewing long, with sharp apex; 

 distal margin very oblique, dentate, but otherwise straight, hind angle well marked, the hind margin rather 

 short and slightly curved; veins 6 and 7 of forewing togetherfrom the anterior cell-angle, 8, 9 and 10 on a long 

 stalk, which is touched by 8 in a point so that a long areole is formed, 8 terminating in the apex. Hindwing 

 relatively short and broad, costal and distal margms moderately curved, the latter less dentate than on the 

 forewing; veins 6 and 7 as in forewing; cell of both wings devided by a longitudinal vein-like incrassa- 

 tion. Middle tibia with 2, hind tibia with 4 spurs, middle and hind tibiae with a long brush of hair, hind femur 

 with a long tuft of hair near the apex. 



The genus is Palearctic and Oriental, and comprises only a few species of considerable size, whose 

 facies is remarkably like that of the Sphingidae. 



T. sommeri Hbn. (= remicauda Butl.) (48 h). A large conspicuous species expanding up to 85 mm. 

 Antenna of (^ pectinate. Ground-colour of the wings dark brown, darkest and velvety in the centre of the 

 forewing, more yellowish grey at the margins, especially at the costal margin; above vein 1 of forewing a large, 

 sharply defined, triangular or wedge-shaped silver-spot and another between veins 3 and 4. Underside rather 

 uniformly yellowish brown irrorated with dark scales, on forewing a small black discal spot, on hindwing a 

 large one, both wings with a narrow dark median band. — From North India to the Sunda Islands (Borneo), 

 over South China to the Philipj^ines, being very plentiful on the latter group of islands. In the Paleactic 

 Region in Japan, not rare on the main island and Kiushiu. 



2. Genus: I>ii<liisa Walk. 



Nearly related to Tarsolepis Butl., with which it agrees in size, structure of the antennae, the long 

 body, the anal tuft of scales, and the shape of the wings. The thorax bears a high median crest of scales. 

 The venation of the forewing differs from that of Tarsolepis in the stalk of 8 and 9 anastomosing with 7 be- 

 yond the origin of 10. The hind femur has no subapical tuft of long hairs. ■ — This genus also is Palearc- 

 tic, one species occurring as far as Nortli China. Only 2 species are known, and curiously enough the spe- 

 cies on which Walker based the genus became first known from North (!hina, provided the locality is correct. 



sphingi- D. sphingifortnis Moore (44 a, erroneously called nobilis). Thorax pale brownish grey, with 2 black 



formis. dots in the centre, which are sometimes indistinct, and on each side one near the base of the forewing; the erect 

 crest of scales black-brown. Abdomen black-brown, with pale median line and pale lateral spots, anal brush 

 black-brown. Forewing with pale greyish brown ground, traversed in the centre by a whitish lunulate double 

 line curved twice ; at the costal margin some black-brown spots, before the distal margin and at the hind mar- 

 gin with black-brown streaks; along the distal margin 3 Imes composed of pale separate lunules. Hmdwing 

 dark grey-brown to black-brown, with ill-defined dark discal spot and two paler lunate lines along the distal 

 margin, the anal area pale and usually rather extended. — North India as far as the southern Palearctic 

 boundary; also in China (Pekin). 



noMMs. D. nobilis Walk. Body similar to that of sphingiformis, thorax also with sharp black dots, but the 



anal brush contains, besides the black scales, numerous long pale reddish brown hairs. Basal area of forewing 



