ANTHRAX. 235 



an apical circlet of spines ; fore tarsi variable in shape and 

 pubescence ; front claws varying in size ; pulvilli very small or 

 absent, occasionally well developed. Wings Avhen at rest half 

 open. Venation as in the other Anthracine genera ; only two 

 submarginal cells ; 3rd vein sometimes with a short appendix at 

 its fork ; 2nd vein not infrequently with a recurrent veinlet at 

 its rectangular bend ; both 2nd vein and upper branch of 3rd 

 often sinuous and parallel towards their tips. A prealar hook 

 near base of wing, generally hidden by the pubescence. 



Range. World-wide ; a very extensive genus. 



Life-history. Larva amphipneustic, 13-segmented, nearly cylin- 

 drical, a little flattened below, tapering at each end. Several 

 European and North American species have been bred from 

 Lepidopterous larvae, and one from the egg-cases of a locust, 

 others being known to live in the cocoons of Hymenoptera. "In 

 cases where the Anthrax larva lives in other larvae these latter 

 pupate before they are destroyed, and the Anthrax larva lies in 

 the pupa of its host " {Lundbedc). The imagos occur in sandy 

 or dry districts, bare open spots and pathways ; their flight is 

 short but swift. 



Several subgenera of Anthrax were suggested by Osten-Sacken, 

 founded primarily on the wing-markings : Thyridanthrax for 

 species with brown wings with more or less hyaline spots; Anthrax 

 (s. str.) for those with clear wings, except for a broad baso-costal 

 dark band ; Hyalanthrax for those with practically wholly clear 

 wings or at most an infuscated costal margin ; and one or two others. 

 It was urged that these characters were supported by others, and 

 also by the fact that the species of each group were parasitic on 

 a totally different group, or even order, of insects. As, however, 

 intermediate forms are sui'e to occur, and the subgenera have not 

 been adopted by subsequent authors, they are herein ignored. So 

 far as the Indian species go, fletclieri and guttatipennis belong 

 to a group with wholly dark wings ; afra, semifuscata, and 

 himalayanus would fall in Anthrax (s. s.) ; whilst all the others 

 belong to Hyalanthrax. 



Table of Species. 



1. Anal cell closed clausa, Brim., p. 253. 



Anal cell open 2. 



2. Wings nearly wholly dark brown .... 3. 

 Wings always with an appreciable 



clear part 4. 



3. No clearer spots in any of the wing- 



cells Jletcheri, sp. n., p. 236. 



Clearer spots on basal half of v/mp; . . guttatipennis, sp. n., p. 237. 



4. A distinct oblique baso-costal wing- 



band 5. 



No such distinct band ; costa generally 

 narrowly, dark, light brown, or yel- 

 lowish, the colour • not extending 

 behind anterior cross-vein (nor- 

 mallv) ; or wings practically clear . . 7. 



