180 CHESIAS. By L. B. Prout. 



Only 3 species are known, all inhabiting tlie western Palearctic Region. The generic name Eueestia 

 Hhn., employed by MEYmcK, is a synonym, but '•^Eucestid'^ neddaria Swinh., described from Africa, does not 

 belong to this genus. 



legatella. C, legatella ScJiif. (= gelatella F. nee L. = spartiata Herhst = soubryana Vill) (6 b) is usually easy 



to distinguish by the whitish streak which runs from the apex of the forewing, broadens and then runs parallel 

 with the costa as far as the discocellulars, and usually continues as a narrow, often somewhat interrupted line 

 nearly to the base. A dark median band is discernible, but is of very peculiar construction, being broken 

 into 3 oblong, somewhat pale-edged sections, the longest (about 7 — 8 mm) being placed between the costal 

 margin and the pale streak, the second (commonly enclosing a short white streak) in the middle of the wing 

 and the third (variable in size and shape) running obliquely from the hindmargin nearly to the fold. The 

 pale subterminal line is rather straight, only very faintly crenulate, and is often followed by a second close 

 to the margin. Hindwing and under surface unmarked. In the typical form the cT and sometimes the ? has 

 the forewing predominandy rather dark reddish brown, the ? commonly rather paler and greyer. — In the 



capriata. form capriata Prout, from the island of Capri and probably as an occasional aberration elsewhere, the groimd- 

 colour is very much paler, the subcostal streak almost entirely obsolete, the somewhat greyer median band 

 less interrupted but extremely ill-defined. — Larva usually dark green with darker, paler-edged dorsal line, 

 broad whitish or yellowish subdorsal, conspicuous white lateral stripe and 3 white lines ventrally; spiracles 

 red, ringed with black. Adaptive to its environment, a yellow form being frequent on plants on which there 

 is much bloom, while a much blackened form has been recorded from dry, stunted plants. April to June, on 

 broom. Pupa red-brown, dorsally rather darker, wings tinged with green; buried deeply in the ground without 

 a cocoon. The moth usually appears in the late autumn (October or November), but cases have been recorded 

 in which emergence has been delayed imtil the spring. Normally the winter is passed in the egg stage. 

 s-partiata is not easily disturbed by day, but is foimd aJsundantly at night sitting among the bushes with the 

 wings hanging down and in a position which gives it a wonderful resemblance to the seed-pods which have 

 opened to discharge the seed. Widely distributed in Central Europe, Britain, etc.; apparently more local in 

 South-western Europe and absent from the South-east. 



C. rufata is on an average smaller than the preceding, but is very variable both in size and markings. 

 The pale subcostal streak is wanting, though there is generally some slight pale yellowish clouding distally 

 to the cell and this occasionally runs out streak-wise towards the apex. Subterminal line as in legatella; a 

 pale basal patch is usually distinct, bounded by an angulated dark line; an indistinct, irregular antemedian 

 line is present and a very characteristic, distinct broad sinuous postmedian, usually darkest in its anterior half; 

 median space clearer, more violet-grey. The variation is chiefly geographical, a series from a single locality 

 rufata. often appearing very uniform. — rufata -?'.(= obliquaria Schiff. ■=. bombycata Hbn^ (6 b) is the prevailing 

 form in Central Europe and reaches the Balkans and the extreme North-west of Asia Minor. The forewing 

 is a good deal mixed with reddish, the blend of colours being often nearly as in legatella, though their 

 occidentalis. distribution is different. — occidentalis Delahaye, said to be common to several departments in the West of 

 France, is a small form, reddish grey, the antemedian and median lines obsolescent, the .latter often quite 

 wanting, the postmedian ferruginous, not black-marked, the pale subterminal distinct, shaded with blackish 



cmereata. proximally and reddish distally. — cinereata Stgr., from Spain, is a pale cinereous form almost entirely 



plumheata. without rufous admixture. — plumbeata I'^tgr., from N. Africa, is a similar but much darker form, the forewing 



lino- being of a dark leaden-grey colour. — linogrisearia Const., of which unfortunately I cannot compare specimens, 



grisearia. is said to be also of a pure ash-grey, but is very strongly marked, the subbasal line more dentate, the lines 

 of the median area forming some superposed rings (i. e. the antemedian and postmedian meeting in places, 

 more as in legatella). Only known from Corsica and treated by Kollmorgen as a distinct species. — Egg rather 

 small, oval, slightly broadened and deepened at the micropylar end; the surface faintly pitted; colour delicate 

 orange, approaching salmon-colour. Larva closely similar to that of legatella, the subdorsal line edged with 

 darker gi-een ; spiracles black. Feeds on broom at night and is then rather conspicuous, as it has a habit of 

 stretching itself out from the plant at full length; it may be found from July to September. Pupa similar to 

 the preceding, passing the winter or sometimes two winters. The moth is very erratic in its time of emerging 

 which — at least in some seasons and in some localities — may cover a period from May to September; 

 I have found them chiefly in June. They may occasionally be disturbed by day, but are then much less 

 restless than most Geometrids. They fly rather late in the evening and come freely to a strong light. 



korbi. C. korbi Bohatsch. Shape and structure quite as in legatella. Head, thorax and upperside of forewing 



flesh-colour without a trace markings; palpus somewhat darker. Abdomen, hindwing above and both wings 

 beneath yellowish white. Larva green with yellowish lateral stripe. It was discovered by Korb in June 1901 

 at Takaltu above Kasikoporan (Russian Armenia) at an elevation of over 2000 m., feeding on Cephalariae 

 procera. Pupa brown, larger, stouter and smoother than that of spartiata and without the indentations on 

 the mid-dorsum, hence perhaps not a true Chesias. The moth emerged at the end of September. 



