120 PTYCHOPODA. By L. B. Pkout. 



earlier confusion of this species with one form of helianthemata, has referred his account of the latter to ob- 

 soletaria. According to Rebel the larva is short, strongly folded transversely, greenish brown, variable, often 

 only with a subdorsal broken up into black dots, sometimes with light, pearshaped dorsal spots, the lateral 

 ridge spotted with black; head very small, black-brown, deeply bifid; very sluggish, living in June on low 

 IDlants. Even this account may possibly be adapted from one of helianthemata; its source is not indicated. Single 

 brooded, the moth appearing in July and August. Widely distributed through Southern Europe and eastward 

 to Transcaspia and Persia. A local race, unknown to me, is said to occur in Northern Ferghana. 



algeriensis. Pt. algeriensis Baker (5 b) has been treated as a local race or aberration of the preceding, which it 



certainly resembles very closely; but I do not think they can be conspecific. Unfortunately the type speci- 

 men ((J), which alone is known to me, has lost its hindlegs and one antenna, while the cilia of the other antenna 

 are slightly damaged; otherwise the specimen is in very beautiful condition, algeriensis would be nearest to 

 the greyer forms or — since it shows in certain lights slight violaceous reflection) to the form violacearia, but it 

 is even more strongly glossy and the vertex of head and base of antennal shaft are not white but concolorous 

 with the body and wings. The discal dots are unusually large — fully as large as in the most extreme spe-~ 

 cimen of ohsoletaria which I have ever seen; the black dots in the fringe moderately well developed (not "sub; 

 nullis", as in Statjdingee's diagnosis). The lines of the upper surface are weakly expressed, very slender 

 (in ohsoletaria they are in general comparatively thick); on the under surface they are more prominent than 

 is usual in ohsoletaria, the postmedian of both wings in particular well developed. The antennal ciliation, so far 

 as can be made out, appears even shorter than in ohsoletaria. Sebdou, Algeria. 



froghdyta- ^J^l Pt. troglodytaria H.-Sch. has been doubtfully referred by STAtnoiNGER as a variety or aberration to 

 '■'"• ohsoletaria, with the following localities assigned to it: Crete, Greece, the west of Asia Minor, Syria and perhaps 

 the southern Ussuri district. Herr Ptjngeler, however, writes me that he posseses a very small Acidaliid from 

 Syria which perhaps represents this species of Herrich-Schaffee's but is certainly distinct from ohsoletaria. 

 It is therefore desirable that for the present troglodytaria should be kept separate, and I here give Herrich- 

 Schaffer's brief characterization of it in full. "Probably the smallest Geometrid, habitus of aversata, silver 

 grey inclining to bone-colour, glossy with scarcely a trace of the usual transverse lines and subterminal, but 

 with distinct central dots and dots in the fringes at the ends of the veins. Face bro^vn; hindtibia with only 

 the terminal spurs. One $ from Crete". Statjdinger says that the original is even smaller than the figure which 

 Herrich-Schaffer gives of it and its colour not quite so white. The only extremely minute Ptychopoda known 

 to me from Syria is elongaria ab. monadaria Guen. which is often quite as weakly marked, but would presumably 

 differ in being whiter and less glossy, perhaps more strongly dark-dusted. 



incariiaria. Pt. incarnaria H.-Sch. (4 e) differs from ohsoletaria in its coloration and usually in its more weakly 



expressed lines, but with a marginal line present, at least beneath. Ofter larger than that species, forewing 

 rather more elongate. In the type-form the wings are fleshpink or reddish, the costal margin of the forewing 

 very pale yellowish; the front of the thorax is also pale, but the collar is darkened, reddish; vertex of head 

 somewhat less pure wliite than in ohsoletaria. Both wings with a blackish discal dot. Fringe concolorous 

 with wing, only minutely dotted with black. Under surface rather paler, especially of hindwing. The $ is 



rw/icosfafa. generally larger and darker than the cj. — ab. ruficostataZe^L (= grisea TA.-if«egr) differs in having the ground- 

 colour violaceous grey and the costal margin reddish instead of yellowish. It is recorded from Central Italy, 

 Greece, Syria, the Taurus and N. E. Africa, perhaps the prevailing form in the two last-named localities. I 

 follow Stattdinger in sinking the name of grisea; TmERRY-MiEG merely says that it is pearl-grey instead of red, 

 distinctaria. and does not mention the costal margin. His locaUty was the Eastern Pyrenees (two examples). — ab. di- 

 stinctaria (Bdv.) Guen. is described as greyish white, glossy, with a slight violet or pearly tinge, the distal 

 lines indicated, the cell-spots grey, very small, and some indistinct terminal dots. Costa of forewing narrowly 

 ochreous beneath. Has been regarded as a weakly-marked form of ohsoletaria, but according to Homberg (i. 1.) 

 the type specimen belongs to incarnaria. It came from Provence. — Egg oval, yellowish, marked with purple 

 at one end. Larva rather slender, less tapering than many of the genus; head clay-coloured, body pale brown, 

 ventrally dark fleshy; dorsal hne fine, whitish, not interrupted, lateral line fine, geminate, dark purple. Poly- 

 phagous, feeding well on flowers. Pupa obtuse, shining yellowish, head and wings pale green. The moth is double- 

 brooded, flymg in June and September, and is much more abundant some years than others. Distributed 

 on the Mediterranean, excepting perhaps Spain. 



palmata. Pt. palmata Stgr. (= unostrigata Rbl. nee Baker) founded on a single $ from Palma, Canaries, is said 



to be similarly coloured to Acidalia corcularia {ochroleucata ab.) but larger, narrower- winged. Forewing with 

 costal margin straight, apex very acute, distal margin strongly oblique. Expanse 19 mm; colour very pale 

 dull reddish yellow with weak and sparse dark dusting ; blackish discal dot present on both wings ; the strongest 



