630 mr. j. h. leech on the [dec. 18, 



240. Lymantria dispar. 



Phalcena dispar, Linn. Syst. Nat. x. p. 501. 



Yar.japonica, Motsch. Etud. Ent. 1860, p. 31. 



Porthetria umbrosa, Butl. Trans. Ent. Soc. 1881, p. 10. 



Porthetria hadina, Butl. Trans. Ent. Soc. 1881, p. 11. 



Except that tliey are somewhat larger male examples of L.japoniea, 

 Motsch., and hadina, Butl., are not separable from European males 

 of L. dispar in my )iossession ; whilst between L. umbrosa, Butl., 

 and other males of i. dispar from Europe, also in my collection, 

 there is not even a difference of size, consequently I cannot regard 

 these insects as anythina; but forms of L. dispar. 



If such forms as those referred to were admitted to specific rank 

 (here are some other forms of L. dispar occurring in Japan which are, 

 apparently, as distinct from those already named as they are from 

 typical dispar ; these therefore would have to be raised to the dignity 

 of species. Such a course is, however, opposed to the exact demands 

 of science, which requires that we should acquaint ourselves with the 

 geographical range of a species and ascertain all we can touching 

 the variability of such species throughout such range rather than to 

 allow locality to be the determinating factor when considering the 

 claim of an insect to specific rank. 



In colour { S) L. dispar varies from whitish or pale whity brown 

 through greyish brown up to a dark smoky brown, and in all forms 

 the transverse lines and shades as also the discal spots of primaries 

 may be either well-defined or more or less obliterated. The colour 

 of females ranges from white to a pale fuscous and the markings are 

 of different degrees of intensity. 



This colour aberration in L. dispar is only equalled by its varia- 

 bility in size. The smallest male in mv series from Japan and Corea 

 expands only 37 millim., whilst the largest female in same series 

 measures 114 millim. The following comparative table of measure- 

 ments of specimens in my possession may not be without interest. 



Japan and Corea. Europe. 



Largest J 71 54 



2 114 93 



Smallest c? ?>7 32 



2 48 42 



It will be seen that the difference in measurement between the 

 smallest and largest males is 39 millim., and between the smallest 

 and largest females 72 millim., whilst the smallest male is 82 millim. 

 less in expanse than the largest female. 



Yokohama, Yesso {Fryer) ; Fushiki, Nagahama, Gensan {Leech) ; 

 Corea (Hers) ; Tokio (Fenton) ; Hakodate (Whitehj). 



241. Lymantria fumida. 



2 . Lymantria fumida, Butl. Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. (4) xx. 

 p. 402(1877) ; HI. Typ. Lep. Het. ii. p. 10, pi. xxix. fig. 4 (1878). 

 Yokohama {Jonas and Fryer). 



