36 



EXTRACTS FROM THE PROCEEDINGS 



OF THE 



ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON 



(February 7th — December 4th, 1912). 



Wednesday, February 7th, 1912. 



[iii 



Geometrid Moths of the genus Aletis, and their mimics 



FROM THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF ENTEBBE. Prof. PoULTON 



exhibited a large but not quite complete series of the members 

 of this important combination collected, between May 23, 

 1909 and September 14, 1910, by Mr. C. A. Wiggins, 

 D.P.M.O. of the Uganda Protectorate. The specimens had 

 been collected just as they were met with, and in sufficient 

 numbers to give jome indication of the proportions. By far 

 the most abundant species was Aletis (Leptaletis) erici, Kirby 

 (56 examples). A. helcita, Clerck, although much commoner in 

 collections, was comparatively a rare insect (4). The explanation 

 of its prominence in collections is probably to be found in the 

 fact that helcita is rather larger and of a richer colour than erici 

 and has been mistaken by collectors for fine specimens of the 

 common species. There are in the British Museum two rows 

 of helcita, but only three examples of erici. Another common 

 species of Aletis — paler and smaller than either of the above — 

 was Aletis {Leptaletis) forbesi, Druce (11). The following 

 mimics were also present, all of them in very small numbers : 

 the Hypsid moth Phaegorista similis, Walker (2), the female 

 Agaristid moth Xanthospilopteryx pjoggei, Dewitz (1), the 

 Nymphaline butterfly Euphaedra ruspina, Westwood (2), the 

 Lycaenid butterfly Telipna nyanza, Neave (1). The propor- 

 tions of the three species of Aletis seem to be about the same 

 in the Lagos district, where Mr. W. A. Lamborn has bred 



