577 



LEPIDOPTERA. 



by 

 A. G. 13UTLER. 



The only Lepidopterous insect worthy of special notice is a species 

 of Moth of the family Lithosiidue ; this moth is very distinct from 

 any species of the genus hitherto described, heing unusually free 

 from the beautiful spotting peculiar to the group. 



Deiopeia lactea. 



Primaries above cream-coloured, in the female with two black 

 dots, one above the other, upon the discocellular veinlet ; a marginal 

 series of black spots, the largest of which is placed at the apex ; a 

 greyish indication of an irregular discal belt seen through the wing. 

 Secondaries pure pearly snow-white, the apex broadly black from 

 costal margin to third median branch, with a conical white spot at 

 the apex ; two small depressed black marginal spots upon the median 

 interspaces ; an extremely slender sordid brownish marginal line 

 between the black spots and the anal angle. Thorax cream-coloured, 

 with the usual black dots — that is to say, two on the collar and two 

 on each tegula ; a spot of pale ochrcous on each shoulder. Abdomen 

 pure white. Under surface pure white : the primaries slightly tinted 

 with cream-colour, strongly so on the costal border ; a more or less 

 interrupted, externally irregularly dentated black band across the 

 disk, commencing upon the subcostal vein, and terminating in a 

 more or less distinct furca near the external angle ; a more or less 

 complete marginal series of black spots as above, and, in the female, 

 a black angulated bar across the end of the cell upon the disco- 

 cellular veinlet; two or three obliquely-placed rose-red subapical 

 spots : secondaries with a black spot at apex, an irregular black 

 subapical oblique band, and from one to four marginal spots. Pectus 

 slightly cream-tinted, with one or two minute lateral black dots. 

 Proboscis pale ochreous. Anterior tibia? and tarsi fuliginous grey 

 in front. Venter with pale ochre-tinted anal segment; female with 

 a blackish spot on each side of the opening. Expanse of wings 

 37 millim. 



One pair, Providence Island (Mascarenes), April 1882. 



The entire absence of the usual scarlet markings from the upper 

 surface of the wings in this species renders it conspicuously distinct 

 from every Deiopeia hitherto described ; it bears more resemblance 

 to pale examples of D. pura (from Guatemala) than to any other 

 species. 



2p 



