434 HEPIALUS. By R. Pfitzner. 



and 5. The fact that the hindwing also has two or three branches originating from tlie anterior median 

 vein and running into the costal margin is characteristic. Legs short and shaggy, without spurs. Wings elongate- 

 ovate, with obtusely rouiaded hind angle. The markings of the forewmg, the well-knowai Hepialid triangle, 

 usually consist of two stripes or rows of spots meeting at right angles in the centre of the hind margm. Larva 

 underground at roots, pupates in a cocoon. Pupa elongate, with spines. The moths fly at dusk and when at 

 rest fold their wings m steep roof-shape pressed close to the body. They are predominantly moiuitain-insects. 

 The Palearctie forms are small to medium- sized ; the Australian species, which are united under the generic 

 term Charagia, are among the largest Hepialids, their magnificent colouring being unique. ThecJ(j' with their 

 green-blue iridescence and the green and red 9$ with their silver-spots compare favourably with the most beau- 

 tiful species of Lepidoptera. 



humuK. H. humuli L. (54 b, c). q silvery white, $ forewing yellow, more or less marked with red. Hindwing 



gre}' edged with reddish. Underside grey in both sexes. Like all Hepialids very variable in size and colouring, 

 especially the ^li. There are innumerable transition from $$ entirely without markmgs to those in which not 

 only the forewing is more red than yellow but the hindwing also is suffused with red over more than half its 

 area. In the form hethlandicus (cf. below-) the markings of the ?$ are obsolescent brown instead of red. A 

 particularly large form occurs locally in the Alps [grandis nom. nov., near Zermatt). Caradja describes a very 

 azuga. beautifiil form from Roumania, aztlga (54c): $ very large (up to 73 mm). Forewing brighter yellow, with iii- 

 ft€/Wandici(». creased brick-red markings, hhidwing and underside much darker. — hethlandicus Stgr. ( = thulen.sis Cro<cA) 

 (54 c), from the Shetlands, is often considered the phylogenetic type, because the ^(^ have the same markings 

 as the 9$, being onlj' smaller and paler. Among some specimens on plate 54 the typical S of hethlandicus 

 (fig. 2 row c) is erroneously marked $, while a Scotch specimen (fig. 1) is reproduced as a (^ of hethlandicus. 

 grandis. — On luxuriant meadows in the Higher Alps the imusually large form occurs which we call grandis form. nov. 

 (54 b, c). ■ — Transitions from humtdi to hethlandicus (54 c as hethlajidicus (J) are common m Northern Scot- 

 land. — The distribution-area of the species comprises North and Central Europe with the exception of the 

 Arctic region, the Southern boundary being formed by the Alps and Carpathians. Caucasus, Armenia, Siberia. 

 The species is found particularly on Alpine meadows, whert it is abundant in June and July; more singly in 

 the plains. On the wdng after sunset and again before sunrise. The peculiar pendulating flight of the glossy 

 white cJ strikes even the general public, and has caused the name ghost-moth to be given to the insect in England , 

 where humuli is common. Some uitercsting observations about the habits of the moth have lately been published 

 by ScHKEiDER (Posen). The moths, which emei'ge after 5 o'clock, fly in the evening for about 20 minutes 

 until 9 o'clock at the lat«st ; the ^ usually pendulating a yard above the ground, the fertilized $ higher, they 

 copulate often very quickly after circling round each other. Like hecta, humuli has a peculiar scent; fresh 

 specimens smell like wild carrot. Larva up to 38 mm in length, light yellow with browii head and pronotal 

 plate, sharply defined segments, when young a transparent brown; legs whitish. At the roots of grass, sorrel, 

 hops, where the}^ are sometimes noxious. Pupa elongate, of uniform width, a protuberance at the head, small 

 leg and wmg-cases, abdominal segments with distinct tubercles aiad small teeth m pairs ventrally; nut-brown, 

 in a loose cocoon. Egg first yellowish white, then grejash blue to blue-black; in clusters of as many as 300. 



nebulosus. H. nebulosus Alph. (= luteus Crr.-Grsh., varians Stgr.) (52 g). As STAUDrNGER's name indicates an ex- 



tremely variable species. Forewmg du-ty grey-browii with gi-eyish white markings, liindwing blackish grey 



armorica- with greyish yellow fringes checkered with a dark colour. Western China (Amdo). — arnioricanus Oberth. 

 «"*■ caught by OberthtJr at Rennes (hence the name armorica, the old name for Britanny) is similar to nebulosus. 

 As the species has not otherwise been observed in Europe it is perhaps only a case of a pupa being intro- 

 duced accidentally from Tibet, davidi Pouj., from Mupin, is a closely allied species. Very similar to nebulosus 

 is also the next species: 



viirifihii;.<!. H. variabilis Brem. (54 h), from Ammiand, is distinguished from nebtdosus by a shorter basal stripe 



endmg in a whitish spot, behind which there is sometimes a dark dot. The band with its vestigial light colour 

 does not quite reach the outer margm, before it rather far away a darker transverse line. — We add as the 

 last of the nebulos%is group : 



varius. H. varius Stgr. This species has often been treated as a synonym of the preceding species, but it is 



probably distinct, as it occurs in the same localities as fariaii'//.? (LLssuri, Askold). Markings brighter, contrast- 

 ing crudely, a long white halfband before the outer margm, ui the $ more extended but duller. According 

 to its facies this species forms a transition to the following velleda-groxiTp, to which belong fusconebulosa with 

 its varieties, carna with ^tralensis, pyrenaicus with alticola, and custillamis. 



jusconebu- H. fusconebulosa Degeer (= velleda Hbn., mappa Dom.) (54 d). One of the most variable species, 



losa. usually brown hi various shades, with greyish white markings, these bemg sometimes so extended that the 

 whole specimen appears grey, and sometimes quite obsolete. Very beautiful reddish brown to rust-coloiired 

 specimens come from Ireland (Belfast), but I have also received similar ones from Upper Bavaria and West- 

 phalia (Bochum), while the specimer>s from Western Scotland and the Islands (Arran) are remarkable for their 

 galHcus. size and the sharpness of their markings. The uniformly brown specimens without markings are named galli- 

 CUS Led. (54 d). This was probablj' origmally the form of the oceanic climate and is most beautifully developed 



