174 LITHOSTEGE. By L. B. Prout. 



course without teeth. Hind wing grey, somewhat darker distally, with two white bands beyond the middle. 

 Forewing beneath mixed smoke-grey and light brown in the disc, costal margin speckled with white, the 

 white line in the distal band and the white subterminal line distinct. Christoph found amoenata flying towards 

 the end of April on the grassy slopes of the Kopet Dagh, near Askhabad. When disturbed, they flew about 

 8 — 10 paces and again dropped in the grass. 



excelsaia. L. excelsata Ersch. (8 a). A variable little species, structurally distinct in having the 3'''* radial and 



P' median of the hindwing stalked — in the ?, where the 2"'* median runs into the distal margin, even very 

 long-stalked; in the cf, too, the costal vein does not anastomose with the cell. Ground-colour lighter or darker 

 brown-grey or whitish, the forewing crossed by numerous darker lines, which may be either strongly or weakly 

 expressed; the most prominent are a pair near the base, acutely angled behind the subcostal vein, a pair 

 antemedian, bent in the middle though much less acutely, and a series of 4 postraedian, approximately parallel 

 with the distal margin, but sinuous; beyond these latter a thicker, more ill-defined dark shade. Hindwing 

 paler in proximal half, a discal dot indicated. Under surface almost unmarked. Transcaspia. 



staudingeri. L. staudingeri Ersch. (6 e) is distinguishable at a glance by its olivaceous tone and by the comparatively 



regular markings, which recall an Anaitis rather than a Lithostege. The ground-colour, as shown on the 

 hindwing and on the underside, is whitish, but on the forewing above this is mostly obscured by light olive- 

 brown shading, only narrow areas on each side of the first dark band and distally to the second band remaining 

 whitish; the bands themselves darker olive-brown, the first slightly curved, the second slightly bent near the 

 costa; distal marginal area generally almost as dark as the two bands. Neuration as in e^cehata. Zerafshan, 

 Southern Ferghana and the Hi district, flying in April and May. 



senata. L. senata Chr. {= leuata Chr.) (12 a) is related to the preceding species, but is much smaller. Ground-colour 



whitish, forewing at base light yellowish-browu, succeeded by a rather darker, curved band which is white- 

 edged proximally ; a median band, with slightly curved proximal edge and bluntly angled (between the S'** radial 

 and P' median) distal edge, is somewhat darkened in its proximal part and more strongly in its distal; discal 

 dot very weak; distal area (after a white interspace) light brown, containing a white subterminal line nearly 

 parallel with the distal margin (in staudingeri this is wanting). Hindwing whitish, somewhat darkened on the 

 veins and at the distal margin. Askhabad in Jime. 



mesoleucata. L. mesoleucata Piliig. Forewing rather broad, with the apex rounded, light wood-browu; near the 



base, from Yj costal margin, a sinuate line, white-bordered distally; a second blackish, weakly curved line 

 shortly before the middle, a third, somewhat dentate, from Y* costal margin; median area almost pure white, 

 separated from the latter of these lines by a blackish band; light subterminal line merely indicated, not dentate; 

 distal margin with dull black-grey dashes; fringe grey-white, indistinctly chequered. Hindwing grey, the distal 

 half with darkened bands, fringe unmarked. Underside white-grey, both wings with a darker band (on the 

 hindwing narrower and sharper) beyond the middle, forewing further distally with a brown costal spot. Outer 

 claw of foretibia almost as strongly developed as inner. Hi district. 



disHnctata. L- distinctata Chr. (12 a). Wmg-iovm ol staudingeri, to which Christoph considers it related, though it is 



smaller, without greenish tinge and differently marked. Forewing whitish irrorated with fuscous; a small 

 reddish-grey basal area, bounded by a vertical, slightly indented black line; a not very broad red brown median 

 band, bounded proximally by a not much dentated black line and distally by a thrice weakly dentate one and 

 containing a further dark line parallel with the latter; on either side of this band is a narrow white edging; 

 distally the wing is again darkened and contains a distinct, dentate white subterminal line, arising from an 

 elongate white subapical spot. Hindwing yellow-grey proximally; a curved blackish median line or narrow- 

 band, not sharply defined proximally ; distal area whitish grey, becoming more yeUow-grey towards the margin 

 and on the veins. Under surface whitish grey with dentate blackish postmedian line; fringes white, dark 

 chequered. Askhabad in May. From the description and figure, distinctata would seem to me to be nearest 

 senata, but differently coloured, much more sharply marked, with less curved proximal markings. 



luminosata. L. lutninosata Clir. is described as of the shape of flavicornata; wing-expanse about 27 — 28 mm. 



Forewing pale brownish ochreous, the transverse markings darker reddish-brown but not very distinct, OJily 

 well expressed on the veins and at the margins; subbasal line very weak, slightly curved; antemedian rather 

 strongly sinuous, traces of two or three small spots between this and the subbasal; postmedian with some slight 

 indentations; distally two very feebly indicated lines which meet near the posterior margin. Hindwing yellowish 



