PTOOHOPHYLE; TIMANDRA. By L. B. Prout. 47 



8. Genus: Ptocliopliyle Warr. 



Face smooth. Palpus short, smooth-scaled. Antenna in ^ bipectinate with very long branches, the 

 apical extremity simple; in $ variable (pectinate or subpectinate only in the subgenus Heteroctenis Meyr. 

 from Borneo). Hindtibia in both sexes with all spurs. Both wings with distal margin usually more or less bent 

 in middle, hind wing sometimes crenulate and with small tail at end of third radial. Areole simple, the first 

 subcostal anastomosing at a point or more strongly with the stalk of the others. Hindwing with cell short 

 (about two-fifths), costal normal, second subcostal and first median either from the angles of the cell or shortly 

 stalked. 



The genus consists of a number of Indo-Australian species, for the most part small and brightly 

 coloured, and divided by Warren into two genera, Ptochophyle and Ghrysolene. They were first united by 

 SwiNHOE in 1902, and this course appears correct. One or two species straggle into Africa, and a single one, 

 miniosa, is said to occur in North China, though this seems open to some doubt. On the assumption that the 

 locality is correct, it is described and figured here. 



Ft. miniosa Warr. (5 d). Bright red, slightly mixed with yellow; antemedian and postmedian lines miniosa. 

 yellow, ill-defined and interrupted, on hindwing not or scarcely discernible; discal spot of forewing dark, dull 

 red, that of hindwing yellow, elongate; distal margm yellow, the red ground-colour encroaching somewhat in 

 the middle; fringe yellow. Under surface unmixed with yellow, weakly marked; fringe yellow. Warren's 

 type specimen came from Penang and the species is chiefly Indo-Australian, but an old example stands in the 

 British Museum collection with the label "North China", which there usually indicates the neighbourhood of 

 Shanghai. Although there is some possibility of a mistake m labelling, a few Indo-Australian species undoub- 

 tedly do reach Shanghai, at least as stragglers. 



9. Genus: Tiniaiidra Dwp. 



Palpus rather short, smooth-scaled, terminal joint distinct, relatively not very short. Antenna in (J 

 strongly bipectinate, apical end simple. Hindtibia in both sexes with all spurs. Forewing with apex acute, usually 

 somewhat falcate, distal margm not or scarcely convex, areole simple, the first subcostal occasionally anasto- 

 mosing briefly with the stalk of the others, but rarely, the distal wall of the areole being much more usually 

 formed by the second subcostal. Hindwing with apex pronounced, distal margin produced to a tail at end 

 of third radial, cell one-half or slightly less, second subcostal from apex of cell or extremely short-stalked with 

 first radial, first median from close to third radial. 



Egg rather regularly oval covered with small oval pitting; yellow at first, becoming red. Larva rather 

 rugose and unequally thickened, head and first two thoracic segments rather small, metathorax widening, 

 first abdominal much swollen and laterally dilated, the remaming segments slightly swollen at sides. Feeds on 

 dock and other low plants, passing the winter in the larval state. Pupa slender, much angulated, recalling 

 those of some butterflies; acutely pointed anteriorly, the covers of the tongue and legs very long, abdominal 

 segments long, anal extremity with two hooks. In a slight cocoon. 



The genus is a very natural one, the species being nearly all exceedingly similar, both in structure and in 

 markings. They inhabit chiefly Asia, one species extending also commonly into Europe; a single species is 

 North American. The name of Timandra has been very generally used for this genus, and seems correct. I for- 

 merly followed Packard, Rogenhofer and Meyrick in substituting Calothysanis Hbn., which is older. But I 

 find that Butler m 1881 chose Acidalia imitaria as the type of Calothysanis, and already Guenee had applied 

 the name similarly. The selection, though bad, must be accepted. 



T. amata is the best known and by far the most widely distributed species, its range extending nearly 

 throughout Europe (excepting the most northerly localities) and the greater part of Palearctic Asia, where 

 it is still quite common as far eastward as Japan. It varies considerably, but is generally one of the most 

 beautiful species of the genus, on account of the bright pink colour of the fringes, which also extends at times on 

 to the distal margins of the wings. The ground-colour is pale yellowish brown, often dusted with grey; forewing 

 sometimes with, sometimes without a weak, curved brown-grey inner line, both wings with grey distal line, 

 making a gentle (sometimes rather stronger) outward curve in the middle ; a thick grey line, more or less strongly 

 overlaid with rose pink, running obliquely from apex of forewing to middle of inner margin of hindwmg ; a small 

 discal spot (often very indistinct) on forewing. Under surface more thickly dark-speckled, the inner line of 

 forewing wanting, the oblique line not overlaid with pink, often weakly expressed. Face dark reddish. The early 

 stages have already been partly described under the genus, as it is safe to assume that the form will characte- 

 rize the whole of the species. The larva of amata is brown, marked with paler and darker, the dorsal line pale. 



