450 Errata and Addenda to the Cossidae. By Dr. W. Rothschild. 



P. 373. 1. 16 from bottom read H. striatalis for striatialis. A. Seitz. 



P. 418 and f f . Errata and Addenda to the Cossidae. By Dr. W. Rothschild. 



Cossus balcanicus ist not a slightly different form of C. cossus, but a distinct species. It is distinguished 

 by the very pouited forewing, fainter transverse striae, and especially by the black transverse stripe in the outer 

 area, which, instead of being oblique and reaching nearly to vein 1 above the tornus, is parallel with the outer 

 margin, miich narrower, and only reaches from vein 7 to just beyond vein 4. The species occurs together whit 

 forms of Cossus cossiis. 



Cossus iranicus Aust. resembles Holcocerus arenicola Stgr. We give Attstatjt's description as a foot-note *). 



Cossus mongoiicus Ersch. is not a local form of Cossus cossus, but a quite distinct species of Holcocerus. 



Holcocerus inspersus Christ, and Dyspessa asema Piingl. are so closely allied that in my opinion they 

 decidedly belong to the same genus. 



Holcocerus strigatus Aust. is closely allied to nohilis, but is whiter and much more faintly marked 

 1 have a second specimen, identical with the type, from Kushke (Afghanistan) **). 



Holcocerus marmoratus ^4?/*/. is also allied to nohilis, but has much sharper markmgs and larger spots. 

 Beside the tyjie I have a series from Dortkuju near Merv. **). 



Holcocerus persicus ^«5<. is allied to holosericeus, but is different, having a cream-coloured forewing 

 and light grey hindwing. Beside the type I have a number of examples from Afghanistan ***). 



Holcocerus sericeus Gr. Grsh. The o figured has nothing to do «ith sericeus. True sericeus has a 

 creamy greyish white forewing with three or four small brownish spots between veins 3 and 4. The form 

 figured is without a name, and I propose to call it strigillata (description cf. p. 452). 



Paropta 1-nigrutn Baker is entirely different from paradoxa H.-Schdff. The same species, and 

 henleyi Roths, and niloticus Joann. are true Cossus and have no connection with Paropta. The latter genus 

 therefore consists of only three species, P. paradoxa H. Schdff., P. Johannes Stgr. and my new confusa (see 

 p. 452). 



*) "The new species I am deseribing to-day is the 8th of the genus, and was recently sent to nie by Herr Arthur 

 SpF.YER as coming from Setti-kech in Persia, whore a few sjiecimens of it were caught. Co.s.sw.s iranicus (this is the name Ijjropose 

 for this novelty, is of tlie size of a /erefera o, l)iit is more closely allied to orou'co/o, although its wmgs are comparatively broa<ler and 

 more rouiuled and its build stouter than in that species. Its forewing is light ashy grey in colour with mhiute brown reticula- 

 tions, the followhig markings being more prominent: (1) a black cvirved premarginal line connecting the two opposite edges. 

 (2) a second submed Ian curved line which, towards the mner margin, is lost in the reticulations and from which four rays ex- 

 tend towards the outer margin, crossing the premarginal line mentioned above. Hindwing uniformly grey without distinct 

 reticidations. The fringes like those of the forewing broadly interrupted with brown. T'nterside whitish, with numerous small 

 brown spots and a few sharper marking.s, whicli are very well reproduced in my figure, and wliich are not found in any other 

 species of Co.s.si/.s. I add that the collar and iiatagia are edged witii light grey, that the lower parts of the thorax is bounded 

 by a white s]Jot, and tliat the abdomen of thi.s new species bears darker incisions on an ashy grey ground corresi>onding to 

 the abdominal segments. This rare and remarkable Cossus, of which I only posses one ?, is very different in shape and ap- 

 pearance from all its congeners. 



**) Holcocerus marmoratus Ausiaut sp. nov. and Holcocerus strigatus At(slaut sp. nov. Among the Holcocerus sent 

 to me by Iferr S!>p;yer three specimens deserve special attention on account of their jjeculiar cliaracters. One of them was sent 

 to me as mont'tcota, without an author's name, and the others bear the same name Init with a query. In fact, these three months 

 are not at all alike, and it appears inopportune to me to unite them as one form. The specimen bearing the label nionficola is 

 pure but didl white, i. e. without a pearly sheen, the costa of the forewing is uniformly white and on the disc the spots 

 indicating the markings are pale brown. The hindwing is white, at the anal angle suffused with dirty grey. The entu-e under- 

 side of the moth is uniformly white excepting tlie disc of the forewing, which is suffused with greyLsh. 



The second specimen is a form very different from the preceding. The hindwing is brown with entirely white fringes, 

 and the markings of the forewing are characteristic, differing entirely in size and .sha])c from those of monticola. Moreover, these 

 markhigs also appear in a paler shade on the underside. I name thLs type marmoratus, and believe that it is specifically 

 different from )no)iticola, for the two specunens in cjuestion are both V V, so tliat the difference is not sexual, and, as they 

 come from the same locality, they cannot be local varieties of the same species. 



As for the insect received under the name of strigatus, which name I propose to retain, it is also peculiar in appearance. 

 The entire upper- and underside of the hindwing is dull yellowish white, and the centre of the forewing bears a row of five brown 

 horizontal parallel lines which give an entirely different appearance from the analogous markings of inoyiticola and nntniiordlii.s. 

 The s])ecimen before me is a o, but it cannot be regarded as being the ,^ of the jjrevious forms on account of its charac- 

 teristics, or as a local form on account of the reasons mentioned above. 1 must add that all these curious Holcocerus were 

 discovered at Baira-male (Persia) in a region as yet little explored, where doubtless many interesting discoveries will yet be 

 made. 



***) Holrooerus persicus .iu.'it. nov. spec? Together with the preceding I recently received from my correspondent 

 several specimens of a species of Holcocerus, a genus of small Cossids confined to Central Asia and resembling the European 

 Hypopta. Among these moths there were two qq of the rare and magnificent Hole, gloriosus Ersch., remarkable for its white 



pearly gloss also several (JcJ of a probably new species which at first glance seems to be identical with Holcoc. 



holosericea from Turkestan; but on closer examiiuition it becomes evident that this Cossid is more stoutly Ijuilt, larger than the 

 other species of the genus, and that its hindwing is uniformly dirty grey, not so pure white as is characteristic of typical speci- 

 mens of holosericea. The underside of the forewing of the specimens in question is moreover suffused with the same grey in 

 the centre, and the costa bears tliree small brown spots above towards the apex, which however do not seem to be at all constant. 

 I name this form persicus, but refrain from expressing an opinion as to whether it is a distinct species or only a geographical 

 race of H. holosericea. (Austaut). 



