154 HESPERIA. 



(S). gemma. Led., Z. B. V., 1852, p. 50. 



(S). marrubii, Kirby, Man. Eur. Butt., p. 115. 



Expands from i-io to 1-30 inches. Very closely resembles the last, :;: 

 but is darker, and has a greenish tinge on the forewing. The wings are 

 darker than in alcece ; the forewing has four white sub-diaphanous spots. 

 Hindwing with two central white spots. Underside, hindwing tinged 

 with green. The clubs of the antennae are wholly black, whereas in the 

 last species they are reddish-brown beneath. 



Times of appearance May and August. 



Habitat : Central and South-Eastern Europe ; the larva of the type 

 seems to be as yet unknown, though that of the Spanish variety baticm 

 is described by Rambur ; it may be inferred that there is some resemblance 

 between the two forms. 



VARIETY. 



Bceticus, Rambur, Cat. Faun. And. P. C., 12, 3, 4 (1839) ; Rambur, Cat. 

 S. And., p. 80. 



Marrubii, Herrich-Schaffer, 14, 15. 



Smaller than the type and lighter, being of a yellowish or brownish- 

 grey colour. 



Habitat : South-Western Europe. 



Larva. Pale grey, with a reddish or yellowish tinge, brown dorsal 

 and lateral stripes. Feeds on Mavrnbiitm Hispanicum in April and in 

 August." (Lang, I. .). 



It will be seen that this description of the larva does not agree with 

 that quoted below. 



The larva of this species was met with by Major Roberts at Candahar 

 in 1879 and is described as follows : 



" About 10'" long ; thickest in the middle, rather attenuated at each 

 end. Skin soft, but with a ribbed and irregular surface, and covered with 

 very short and minute whitish hairs. General colour dull (dusty) green ; 

 dorsal line green, very fine and only visible on a few of the front segments. 

 Head large, globular, slightly indented at the top, deep black (like char- 

 coal), much larger than several segments which follow ; second segment 

 smaller than head or third segment and forming a black neck or collar 

 with three large yellow spots on it. Subdorsal stripe of a paler green 

 than the ground-colour, but rather dull ; spiracular, slightly raised or 

 projecting flesh from the sides. Rokeran, Candahar, end of June ; wrapped 

 up in the leaves of the mallow, on which it feeds. 



Pupa wrapped up in a leaf, tightly webbed in and fastened by the 

 tail only. Colour, brown washed with white." (P.Z.S., 1880, p. 411, 



n-2 3 ). 



* Spilothyrus atctct, Esper. 



