424 COSSULINTJS; HYPOPTA. By Dr. A. Seitz. 



4. Genus: Cossiiliuiii^ Kirby. 



This genus represents a distinct transition from the Cossid-like moths to Hypopta. The insect appears 

 very stout on account of the unusually stout thorax and broad head. The stout and rather short abdomen, 

 which, like the thorax, is clothed with dense thick fluffy hair, harmonises with the short forewing with its 

 long fringes and rather smooth distal margin. The antennae are only moderately stout, but have the pecti- 

 nations well developed though short. Only one species is known, from Asia Minor and Armenia, which gives 

 one the impression of an albinotic Hypopta. 



argentalus. C. argCfltatus Stgr. (53 h). Size like that of Hypopta thrips. Body and wmgs silvery white, legs also 



white, antemiac 3'ellowisli brown. Forewing with a few small scales merging together in the centre of the 

 wing to form a diffuse cloud; near the base of the fo^e^ving small yellowish brown scales. Hindwing very 

 sHghtly tinged with grey, with narrow dark veins. — The species seems very rare ; the figured specimen is 

 from Konia. 



5. Genus: Hypopta Sbn. 



Very robust, with stout thorax, and with the abdomen of medium length m the ^ and long in the ?, 

 produced into a projecting ovipositor. Head broad, eyes large, palpi short, stout, horizontally porrect, an- 

 tennae very variable, bipectinate or lamellate in the (J, likewise so or simple in the $; in many species the 

 lamellae are developed to such an extraordmary degree that when the (J is on the wing the stout porrect 

 antennae are distinctly visible, e. g., m H. ambigua Hbn. The hind legs are very strongly developed, and 

 the tibiae clothed with long shaggy hair, with two pairs of spurs. Wmgs less stout than in Cossus, very broad 

 with curved, only slightly oblique, outer margm and almost effaced hind angle. Forewing without areole. One- 

 half of about two dozen forms inhabits the Palearctic Region, the other America, ilany species occasionally 

 appear in huge swarms and cover the panes of the lantern like swarming bees. In spite of this the life-history 

 of only one species is known. 



ffirips. H. thrips Hbn. (= fuchsianus Ev., kindermanni Frr.) (53 h). Sandy broAvn; forewing mmutely 



striated, beyond the centre of the wing above the hind margin an ocellus-like broA\Ti mark with a hght border. 

 — In South Russia, Siberia and Armenia; once observed in Transsylvania (introduced?); the <? swarms 

 after sunset in the summer on fields studded with Artemisia. 



inra. 



hircoma- H. turcomatlica Christ. (53 h). In size and shape similar to thrips, forewing browaiish yellow strongly 



variegated witli grey. The browia disc with white border in the middle of the forewing is absent, there being 

 only slight markmgs m its place; similar markuigs are arranged as a chain extending doA\iiwards from the 

 inlractatiis. apex, intractatus Stgr., originally described as a Cossus, seems to have been founded on a famtly marked 

 or worn specimen of this species. — Turkestan. 



zoroastres. H. zoroastres Gr.-Gfrsh., closely allied to the preceding, but the antennae longer, almost as in thrips, 



bipectinate, white with small yellowish teeth. Forewmg above white, marbled with yellowish, with dark 

 basal band and costal area and an apical row of confluent dots. (J 27 to 34 mm. — Province of Makran, 

 Persia. 

 caeslrum. H. caestruitl Hbn. (53 g). Size as in the preceding; the brown spot beyond the centre of the fore- 



wing indistuictly bounded and continued by small smear-spots to the costa; forewing from there nearly 

 to the base pure white with slightly bluish silky gloss, which is sometimes faintly greenish, occasionally slightly 



deserta. changed in pathological specimens (ab. teredo Bdv.). The form deserta Fisch.-Wald. is much lighter, with 



fewer markings. In Southern Europe and Western and Northern Asia; South France, Austria, and Italy, 



caucaaicum. Hungary, the Balkan Peninsula, Syria, Armenia; in vineyards and kitchen gardens. — In the form cau- 



radola. casicutTI Gr.-Grsh. (Tiflis) the marginal area of the hindwing also is whitish, while in radota Homberg (53 g), 

 from the French Riviera (Cannes), the whole forewing is darkened to slate-blue. — Egg elongate-ovate, brown 

 with lighter reticulation. Larva cylindrical, wiry, white with a browiiish head, very much recallmg that 

 of Aegeria apijormis; m the roots of Asparagus, makes tubular cocoons of earth; pupates soon after hiberna- 

 tion, is said to be mjurious to the Asparagus near Constantuiople ; pupa yellowish bro^vn, with small dorsal 

 hooks. The moth emerges m July. When on the wing the insect makes a distinct humming noise. 



sihirica. H. sibirica Alph. (52 h). Considerably larger than caestrum and one of the most beautiful Cossids. 



The costal marginal area of the forewing is a magnificent silvery white as far as the marginal area ; below and 

 beyond the cell there is fine golden brown dusting. — North-East Siberia. 



herzi. H. herzi Alph. (52 h). The same size as the preceding, but the colour of the wmgs more dark greyish 



b^D^^^^, less mtermixed with yellowish brown; light smear-spots in the costal area beyond the cell, below 

 the cell and before the hind angle, — Turkestan: Samarkand. 



vaulogeri. ' " H. vaulogeri Stgr. ( 52 h). Very closely allied to the preceding, smaller and much lighter, especially the thorax 



