Publ. 14. III. W14. ANAITIS. By L. B. Prout. 177 



A. plagiata L. {= duplicata F. ■= triplicala Geoff.) (6 k) is the type of the genus and at the same time plagiata. 

 the commonest and most widely distributed species. In the typical form the two narrow bands or bars (each 

 composed of 3 approximated lines) remain separate throughout their course, enclosing a pale central band. — 

 In ab. tangens W. Fritsch the two bands meet about the median veins, dividing the pale centre into a larger tangens. 

 anterior and smaller posterior patch. — In ab. fasciata Garbsk (= cotangens W. Fritsch := conflua F. Hoffmann} fasciala. 

 they meet similarly in the middle of the wing and do not again separate, but form a broad posterior median 

 band. — More remarkable and more worthy of a separate name is ab. ruberata Rhl, a rare form in which the ruherata. 

 bars remain separate but the entire space between them is darkened (red-brown or brown-grey) forming a real 

 fascia, whereas — as Fritsch has already remarked — Garbowski's name of fasciata was not so fortunately 

 applied to the preceding form as Hoffmann's of confluens. — Ab. suffusa ab. nov. is a still more extreme suffusa. 

 development, of which I have seen a few English examples (cf. Barrett, Lep. Brit. Lsl. vol. 8, p. 421). Ground- 

 colour shaded with brown, the bands confluent into a single blackish band. It gives quite the impression of 

 a different species. — efforinata Guen. (= pallidata Stgr), is, I beheve, rather an aberration than a local race, efformata. 

 in any case certainly not a species as Guenee (judging from a single Syrian example) supposed. There is no 

 doubt, however, that the small, weakly marked forms which have been described under these names are more 

 frequent in southern and eastern localities than in western Europe, though they do occur in the latter (perhaps 

 chiefly in the second brood). In Malta, Greece, Asia Minor and Syria they seem to be of very general 

 occurrence. — Almost everywhere there is much variation in size and this is not entirely sexual nor seasonal 

 The ground-colour also varies; thus Scotch specimens are more bluish grey (less violet), more approaching 

 the tone of simpliciata Tr.; those from chalky soils (also, according to Barrett, Irish examples) more white, 

 both above and beneath. Typically, the underside is much flushed with reddish. — Egg whitish, without gloss, 

 micropylar rosette ]1- to 12-leaved, sides with regular polygonal reticulation, each cell again more irregularly 

 subdivided. Larva somewhat elongate, tapering a little anteriorly; brown or slate-colour with a paler, more 

 yellowish lateral stripe, dorsal area somewhat darkened, with a still darker mediodorsal line. Feeds on the 

 leaves and flowers of Hypericum, especially H. perforatum. Pupa slender, wing- and antenna-cases elongate, 

 dorsum and abdomen pitted, cremaster short, ending in blunt forked protuberance; brown with black spiracles. 

 The moth is double-brooded, except in its northernmost localities, appearing in May, June and August — Sep- 

 tember, the larvae of the first brood hibernating. It rests by day on bushes, rocks or fences, often head 

 downwards, and makes no attempt at concealment: but it is generally very shy, dashing off wildly when 

 approached. It is found throughout Europe, excepting the Arctic Region, in N. Africa, Western and Central 

 Asia Minor and Syria and again in the Mountains of Afghanistan and Kashmir. — perelegans Warr., which perelegam. 

 represents plagiata in Japan, is probably a distinct species, although Staudinger has not even recognized it 

 as a variety (!). The foretibial claw appears rather slighter, but otherwise the structure agrees. Extremely 

 similar in size, shape and markings, lines of forewing not marked with black on the veins, postmedian lines 

 straighter, not curving outwards at hindmargin, distal area with better defined ferruginous blotch at end of 

 apical streak, two well-developed transverse dark lines, the pale subterminal obsolete ; under surface not flushed 

 with reddish, forewing with no dark costal mark at origin of postmedian line (generally distinct in plagiata). 



A. fraudulentata 7/.-ScA. (= brussearia Mann, M. S.), (12 a) from the neighbourhood of Brusa, is said to be fraudulen- 

 broader-winged than plagiata, more bluish grey, not violet, apical streak fine, black, not overlaid with rust- " 

 colour, the three black spots on the costal margin and the dash on the median vein thicker. Bohatsch 

 (Wien. ent. Zeit. vol. 5, p. 200) evidently misidentified the species; Staudinger treats it as a Darwinian 

 representative of plagiata. 



A. simpliciata Tr. (= pierretaria Guill. = magdalenaria Bell) (18 c). More blue-grey than plagiata, simpliciata. 

 the colouring more uniform, the lines and bars somewhat similarly placed, generally not very strong, the 

 subbasal much less angulated near the costa, one or two intermediate lines before the antemedian rather well 

 expressed, postmedian less angulated on the P' radial, distal area traversed by two fine lines, but with the 

 pale subterminal and the apical streak almost or entirely obsolete; veins marked with dark dots on the lines. 

 Forewing beneath dark grey, hindwing whitish. — ab. obscurata ab. nov. (Mill. Icon. Chen. pi. 145, f. 3) is a obscurata. 

 curious suffused form in which the ordinary markings have disappeared, giving place to an obscure median 

 band. — graeciata Stgr., from Greece, differs in having the ground-colour of the forewing luteous grey. — graeciata. 

 Larva shorter than that oi plagiata, head small, somewhat retracted; vinous red, with lateral ridge and venter 

 yellowish white; dorsal line fine, brown, interrupted, on the posterior segments broad and continuous; 3 fine, 

 interrupted dark subdorsal lines; spiracles small, black. On Hypericum alpinum, hibernating. Pupa brown. 

 The moth is according to Milliere double-brooded, but the principal emergence is in July-August; it occurs 

 at altitudes of 1700 — 1800 m., settling on whitish rocks on the surface of the ground. It is very local and 

 almost confined to Southern Central Europe: S. France, S. E. Hungary and the Balkan range, also as an 

 aberration in Greece. 



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