1898.] FROM BRITISH EAST AFRICA. 429 



H Y P S I D ^. 



183. EgTBOLIA TAIXLANTIIfA. 



Phalcena vaillantina, StoU, Suppl. Cramer, Pap. Exot. v. p. 142, 

 pi. xxxi. fig. 3. 



Mgana, 30th August, 1896 ; Mombasa, 4th January, 1897. 

 It is not at all certain that this is a true Hypsid. 



184. SOMMEEIA CULTA, 



Sommena culta, Hiibner, Exot. Schmett. Zutr. figs. 433, 434 

 (1818). 



cJ 2 , Samburu, 1st & 5th November, 1896. 



This is an interesting variety in which the normal white 

 markings on the primaries are suffused with the ground-colour, 

 giving them a very uniform character. That this is mere variation 

 and has no specific \ alue is evident from the fact that we have an 

 example in the Museum in which the left primary is similarly 

 suffused, whilst on the right primary many of the white markings 

 are present. 



SATURNIIDiE. 



185. USTA WALLESTGREKII. 



Saturnia iualle7igrenii., Eelder, Wien. ent. Monatschr. iii. p. 323, 

 pi. vi. fig. 2. 



$ , Maungu Inkubwa, 29th March, 1897. 



This is the only fairly perfect example I have ever seen — the 

 species having hitherto only reached us from Dr. Gregory's 

 collection, and so much rubbed and shattered as to be barely 

 recognizable. Unless Eelder had a very closely allied species, his 

 figure is- incorrect (probably made up from an injured specimen, 

 as the outer black edgiug to the ceiicral belt of the primaries is 

 deeply and conically incised between veins 2 and 3). 



186. BunjEa (Thxblla) zambesia. 



Thyella zambesia, Eelder, Eeise der Nov., Lep. ii. pi. Ixxxv. fig. 5 

 (1874). 



S , Taru, 30th March, 1897. 



The larA'a of this moth (which is quite new to the Museum 

 Collection) is said by Mr. Betton to have been common at Taru on 

 December 10th; the present example pupated on December 17th, 

 1896, and emerged at the end of the following March, The larv* 

 and pupa, which Mr. Betton preserved, were unfortunately not 

 sent to us with his collection ; he refers to the former as " bottle 

 of larvffi marked Taru, Nov. 23 to Dec. 15, 1896," and to the 

 latter — " see matchbox marked ' M.' " 



If Mr. Betton could breed a series of this Saturniid, I think it 

 would be conclusively proved that B. harcas Maassen was only a 

 variation ; it certainly is extremely closely related, if distinct, and 

 the fact that both occur at Zanzibar is very suspicious. 



Pboc. Zool. Soc— 1898, No. XXIX. 29 



