194 



OPORINIA. By L. B. Prout. 



brumata. 0. brumata L. (= hyemata Hufn., gi-isearia VilL, vulgaris Slejyh.) (6e). Light brown, the forewing 



darker-dusted and with numerous wavy dark transverse lines of varying intensity, the discal dot minute or 

 Jiuenei. nearly obsolete; hindwing and under surface weakly marked. — ab. huenei iiom. nov. (= hyemata Huene nee 

 Hufn.) has the basal and median areas of the forewing darkened into bands, hi extreme (but very rare) cases 

 the intermediate area is also dark, so that the entire proximal half (or more) of the wing is differentiated in 

 colour from the distal. Hindwing and underside also somewhat more banded than in the type form. — ab. 



unicolor. unicolor Lamhill. is an entirely unicolorous form, the lines and even the discal dot being suppressed. — 

 myricaria. myricaria Coolte is a smaller form, of a more purplish brown colour than the type and rather rougher-looking, 

 but similarly marked; the difference in colour still more noticeable on the under surface. ? with shorter 

 wings than in the type, sometimes more weakly marked. Several were bred from or taken auiongst Myrica 

 gale at Keswick, England, in January, the variation possibly local or seasonal. — Egg a fairly regular oval, 

 about twice as long as broad, the surface regularly covered with very shallow, uniform depressions ; light green 

 at first, but red later. Larva lighter or darker green, sometimes even brownish- or blackish-green, darkest 

 dorsally, with fine white subdorsal line and yellowish lateral stripe; head and legs nearly concolorous with 

 body. Polyphagous on trees and very fond of fruit-trees, often excessively abundant, destroying alike leaves 

 and blossom; full-feed in May and June. Pupa in a compact cocoon mixed with earth; light brown, cremastral 

 projection somewhat T-shaped, the base of the T twice as long as broad. Haverhorst's figure (Tijd. v. Ent. 

 vol. 53, t. 17, f. 76) is incorrect or was possibly taken from an example of fagata. Imago throughout the 

 late autumn and winter, the largest emergence in November and December. Central and Northern Europe, 

 S. W. France, N. Italy, S. E. Russia, Transcaucasia and N. E. Amur. There is said to be also a local race 

 in Castile, but I have no knowledge of it. 



tenerata. 0. tenerata Stgr. closely approximates to hrumata in form and markings but is much smaller and of 



a darker grey colour, without the yellowish or brownish admixture of the European species. The veins are 

 in places dark- marked, particularly where they cross the lines, but this is also observable in some aberrations 

 of brumata. In the only example before me the lines in the distal part of the hindwing are better expressed 

 than in brumata. Koko-nor, only the cf yet known. 



relegaia. 0. relegata Prout (= nexifasciata Leec/i nee Btlr) (8 b). Larger than the other species and in general 



rather more strongly marked, distal margin of forewing rather straight. Antemedian line straight, not curved 

 as is otherwise nearly always the case in the genus; the lirst of the postmedian lines strongly sinuous, nearly 

 always more sharply defined than in the 3 preceding species; a black subapical streak present, which is 

 entirely wanting in them. Underside similar to the upper but more weakly marked. ? unknown. Japan, 



japonaria. 0. japonaria Leech (8 b) Nearest to relegata but very distinct from all the other species, distal margin 



rather more oblique. Rather variable in colour, sometimes of a similar tone to relegata or sHghtly more 

 brownish, sometimes clearer whitish with rather strong fuscous markings. Forewing marked with black along 

 the basal part of the 2"'' median and with an X-shaped mark formed by the blackening of the end of the 

 3^"^ discocellular and of the median and the beginnings of the 3"^ radial and 1 *' median (which are connate); 

 a dark subapical streak as in relegata. Under surface very weakly marked. 2 with forewing about as long 

 as abdomen, costa arched, hinder angle acutely produced; veins and base of costa black; a subbasal line, 

 angulated on median vein, an antemedian line placed almost in the middle of the wing, a postmedian midway 

 between this and termen : hindwing much smaller and narrower, perhaps crippled in the only known 

 specimen. Japan. 



44. Genus: Ox>oi>inia Hhn. 



Related to the preceding genus but with tongue and freiudum developed and the ? fully winged, though 

 usually slightly smaller and sometimes narrower-winged than the (f. Face, palpus, legs and hindwing as in 

 Operophtera (only the palpus less extremely short), forewing neuration more as in Malacodea (areole double, 

 discocellulars normal), scaling rather thicker: cells not unusually long. 



Egg rather thick-shelled, red, the surface more or less deeply pitted throughout; passing the winter. 

 Larva on various trees, stout or moderate, smooth; feeding up rather rapidly in the spring, exposed, not spun 

 up like that of Operophtera; they undergo 4 moults. Pupa in a compact cocoon on or just below the ground. 

 The moths appear in the autumn, chiefly about October, but in northern latitudes their appearance is hastened 

 (August — September); in the form filigranriimria also, of which the larva is able to begin feeding before the 

 trees are in leaf, the time of appearance is about August — September. Geographical disti-ibntion as that of 

 Operojihtera. 



