60 



THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



AN INTERESTING FORM OF CHESIAS SPARTIATA 



(VAR. CAPRIATA, N. VAR.). 



By Louis B. Prout, F.E.S. 



It is curious that although Guenee points out that Chesias 

 spartiata varies much, and G. riifata " much less," and mentions 

 three marked aberrations of the former (one almost becoming a 

 local race in the South of France), yet there does not seem to 

 be a single named form of it ; whereas of C. riifata Staudinger 

 catalogues no less than three. In the British Islands, to be 

 sure, C. spartiata seems a very constant insect, excepting for the 

 rather strong sexual dimorphism, but further south it would 

 appear to be much more unstable, and its variation will deserve 

 more attention than it has yet received. 



^ My kind correspondent, Mr. C. Seymour Browne, who is 

 doing such good work in investigating and making known the 

 very interesting fauna of the Island of Capri, has brought to our 

 notice a striking variety which occurs with him, and has sug- 

 gested that if I think it of sufficient interest, I should describe 

 it as "var. capriata."* 1 certainly do think it of sufficient 

 interest, and have much pleasure in subjoining a description. I 

 must not omit to add that Mr. Browne has generously pre- 

 sented me with the specimen which I am describing as the type, 

 and to publicly tender him my thanks for this and other kind- 

 nesses. 



Chesias {Eucestia, Hb.) spartiata (Herbst in Fuess. Archiv), 

 var. capriata, mihi, n. var. 



Ground colour delicate pale grey, weakly marked, the characteristic 

 white (or whitish) " streak " and the dark markings at the base and 

 on the three " amygdaloid " patches in the central area being entirely 

 absent. The result is that there are only two colour- shades present, 

 and even these seem rather abnormally arranged and somewhat ill- 

 defined. Basal area irregularly blended of the grey ground colour and 

 light brown; "firfetline" (i. «;. inner boundary of the narrow central 

 area) light brown, forming two acute angles, or a kind of irregular 

 Greek sigma (s), the upper angle not completely intersecting the 

 central area, but the lower (on the fold between veins 1 and 2) inter- 

 secting it completely, thus leaving one amygdaloid grey blotch at inner 

 margin. A rather broad light brown band runs obliquely from the 

 apex, thence forming the outer boundary of the central area, narrowing 

 and becoming more indistinct towards inner margin. Pale subterminal 

 line traceable, though not very conspicuous, the colour again light 



'■''■ Perhaps when more southern material is to hand we shall have to 

 Write " var. et ab." I find amongst my Canales (Northern Spain) geometers 

 a small worn specimen, taken by Dr. Chapman in July, which was apparently 

 intermediate between the new form and the type. 



