86 



OAR; STIGMA. By L. B. Protjt. 



than normal rufociliaria but is more reddish and characterized particularly by the blackish veins, which, 

 together with the strongly expressed blackish lines, give it an almost latticed appearance. 



15. Genus : Oar gen. nov. 



Face rough-scaled. Eye small. Palpus moderate, with long hairs projecting forwards and downwards. 

 Tongue rudimentary. Antenna in (J with slender, strongly ciliated pectinations; in $ simple. Femora somewhat 

 hairy or in $ nearly glabrous. Hindtibia in ^ with two, in $ with four spurs. Forewing rather short and 

 broad, neuration nearly as in Acidalia. Hindwing with second subcostal arising from apex of cell or shortly 

 stalked. 



This genus, which was merged by Staudinger in Fidonia (!) has much affinity with Emmiltis. Met- 

 RiCK, indeed, did not distinguish it therefrom, having evidently only the cj before him. The $ oi Emmiltis has 

 only two spurs on the hindtibia. The other differences are for the most part less essential. In order to dif- 

 ferentiate the c?, however, it is only iiecessary to point out that the palpus of Emmiltis is much less abnor- 

 mal and that in it the ^ antennal pectinations do not, as is the case in Oar, terminate in strong, spreading 

 cilia. From Holarctias the present genus differs in the pectinate cj antenna, rudimentary tongue, less hairy 

 legs and different wing-form and markings. 



Type of the genus: pratana F. (Phalaena). 



The geographical range is restricted to Southern Spain, N. Africa, Palestine and the shores of the 

 Red Sea. All the known forms seem to me to be probably referable to a single variable species. 



pratana. 



0. pratana F. (=pratanaria TMrton = reaumuraria Jf«7Z. = megearia Ob. = ectypatalfa6.) (7c) was 

 first described from N. Africa as long ago as 1794. Whitish, more or less suffused with light ochreous brown, 

 and with some scattered dark speckling. Lines dark brown or blackish. First line of forewing twice dentate 

 outwards, rather thick, especially at the teeth, sometimes almost interrupted between them. Postmedian line 

 somewhat dentate, incurved between the radials and again posteriorly, followed by a white line. At about 

 1 mm proximally to the postmedian a line following the same course, the space between them sometimes 

 darkened. Subterminal line whitish, placed near the distal margin, following a similar course to the postmedian, 

 accompanied proximally by some dark shading, which is usually broadest and strongest anteriorly; the space 

 between this line and the margin also as a rule more or less darkened. Cell-spot present, either well with- 

 in the central area or touching the proximal po.stmedian line; in the latter case scarcely noticeable. Fringes 

 chequered. Hindwing without the first line; the proximal po.stmedian line often and the distal sometimes 

 weak. Under surface more weakly marked, the postmedian line, the white line which follows it and the white 

 subterminal usually fairly distinct. Andalusia, Murcia and Algeria, end of January to April and again in 

 June. The darkest Algerian specimen which I have seen is indistinguishable from some forms from the Red 



obscuraria. Sea; the lightest is a $, almo.st white with only a very slight ochreous tinge. — obscuraria Baker (= nigres- 

 cens Hmpsn.) is decidedly darker, sometimes blackish, and is the prevailing form in Egypt, the Sudan and at 

 Aden, December to March. Examples occur m these localities, however, which are as brownish and almost 

 as light as the name-type, while on the other hand this dark form, according to Staudinger, occurs as an 



mortaaria. aberration in Murcia. — mortuaria Stgr. represents the species in Palestine and is on the whole slightly less 

 dark than the form obscuraria, while it differs from the type in lacking the ochreous tone. The prevailing shade 

 is greyish or cinereous. Staudinger says it is also smaller than the other forms, but the few examples which I 

 have seen do not bear this out. — Egg an irregular ellipsoid, the surface covered with polygonal reticulation 

 arranged in longitudinal lines so as to form channels with prominent edges; yellowish green. Larva elongate, 

 subcyhndrical, the last 3 segments strongly thickened, tapering a little anteriorly; segment-incisions not distuact; 

 green with yellow dorsal and lateral stripes; a smgle more or less rounded dark brown spot on the side of 

 the 6. abdominal above the spiracle (rare aberrations have similar spots also on the first five abdominals); 

 tubercles indistinct. Apparently not yet observed at large; in captivity, among many plants which were 

 offered, the larvae chose Suaeda vermiculata, a plant which at Biskra is as abundant as the moth. Pupa short, 

 much attenuated j)osteriorly, somewhat granulated dorsally, the wings smooth; yellowish brown, the spiracles 

 small, not very distinct; cremaster bearing two erect bristles, their extremity forming a small hook. From eggs 

 laid 10 May the larvae pupated in the middle of June. There seems to be a succession of broods at least until 

 June, perhaps later. 



16. Genus: ^tig'ma Alph. 

 Pace smooth. Palpus moderate, with strong projecting hairs. Tongue short and slender. Antenna in ^ 



