216 



CIDARIA. By L. B. Prout. 



ocdlata. C. ocellata L. (^ lynccata 7^.) (8g) differs from nearly all the species of this group in its dense, glossy 



scaling, as well as in the early stages and, notwithstanding some points of agreement, in the genitalia. I doubt 

 whether it is closely allied with them. Scarcely variable except in the width of the median band of the fore- 

 wing and at once recognizable by the coloration, the weakly-marked distal area of the forewing, almost un- 

 coarctata. marked hindwing, etc. — ab. coarctata Front. Median band extremely narrow; figured by Barrett, Lep. Brit. 

 pi. 338, fig. 2b, but 1 have seen one still more striking example, in which the band is thread-like, in the middle 

 of the wing altogether interrupted. — Larva stout, tapering anteriorly; head small; body pale reddish brown, 

 dorsally with- 5 or 6 large V-shaped pale marks, their points directed backwards, ventrally with some V-shaped 

 marks pointing forwards. On Galium in the summer months, feeding up rapidly. The earlier larvae pupate 

 in time to produce a partial second brood in August or September, but the later ones hibernate in the pupal 

 cocoon, not changing to pupae until the spring. Pupa rather slender, glossy, yellowish-brown, in a silken 

 cocoon on the ground or among stems of Galium. Common in the greater part of Europe and from Asia Minor 

 to the Hi district. 



Subgenus Phmijria Hbn. Differs from the subgenus Cidaria in having the areole undivided. From 

 Epirrhoe, which has also a simple areole, in the stronger palpus, more definitely crested metathorax, differently 

 formed abdomen, broader areole, with P' radial stalked, etc.; also essentially in the early stages. 



bicolorata. C. bicolorata Hufn. (= rubiginata Schiff.) (8 h). White, more glossy than in any succeeding species 



of the group, yet more thinly-scaled than ocelktta. Forewing with brown basal patch and anterior half of 



parvula. median band, both wings with more or less well-defined bluish-smoky distal border. — ab. parvula Retz. has 



guttata, in addition a dark spot at the middle of the hindmargin of the forewing. — In ab. guttata Iluene the median 



pliimhata. band is reduced to a mere spot surrounding the discal dot. — plumbata Curt. {^= completa Rbl.) is a race 

 which inhabits Scotland and the North of England. The median band is uninterrupted, or only very narrowly 

 interrupted and the smoky dark bordering is usually intensified. Sometimes also there are traces of a narrow 

 fumosa. smoky band midway between the basal and median patches. — ab. fumosa Prout (:= plumbata Newm., Stgr. 

 nee Curt.) is an extreme aberration, not infrequent among the race plumhata, in which the ground-colour of 

 the forewing is in part or wholly suffused with smoke-colour, sometimes so deeply as almost entirely to 



marilima. obliterate the markings. Hindwing also sometimes infuscated. — maritima Strand is given as a Norwegian 

 race, smaller than the type, with the marginal band of the forewing black-grey, not or scarcely interrupted, etc. — 



dahurica. dahurica Stgr. from Dauria, Japan and possibly Roumania, is yellowish white, with the basal and costal patches 

 light brown, the dark borders weak. — Larva very slender, elongate, smooth; head rather flattened, green; 

 prothorax somewhat projecting to points over head; body green, blue-green dorsally, subdorsal line yellow, 

 segment-incisions pale; two well-developed whitish anal points. April or May to June on alder and blackthorn, 

 or allied plants. Pupa uniform bright green, anal point tinged with red-brown; spun among leaves by a few 

 threads and very active. The moth flies in July and August. Central and Northern Europe, Siberia and 

 according to Staudinger Japan. 



Subgenus Thera Steph. (= Corythea Diip). Differs from Cidaria in having the discocellulars of the 

 hindwing strongly biangulate. cf antenna sometimes with slender pectinations. In serraria the areole is usually 

 single. Probably not separable from Dysstroma, but the larva is stouter and specialized to Coniferae. 



■ A. cf antenna shortly ciliated. 



variata. C. variata Schiff. (8h). Forewing clear grey, greenish-grey or brownish-grey, never clear brown or fulvous, 



median band with its proximal edge moderately angled, its distal edge deeply indented on the veins; pale subterminal 



line generally rendered distinct by dark shading, likewise strongly dentate. Hindwing rather variable in colour, 



whitish-grey to darker grey, with a distinct dark discal dot and often a distinct postmedian line. A variable 



species, both in size and colour, in the extent of the median band and the degree to which this is darkened. 



nigrofas- — In ab. nigrofasciata Gmpbg. {= medionigricans Reutt.) the ground-colour is grey-white or pale wood-colour, 



cia/a. while the band is decidedly darkened. — ab. stragulata Hbn. (= ? vetustata Schiff. = vitiosata Frr. = resi- 



slragulala. j^aria Pet/er.) (8 h) is an interesting modification of nigrofasciata, with the band reduced to a costal blotch as 



in C. bicolorata, sometimes followed, as in our figure, by minute vestiges of the posterior part of the band. — 



cembrac. cembrae Kitt is possibly a synonym of nigrofasciata, but Kitt describes the ground-colour as "pure grey, without 



brownish admixture", and says that it is a mountain form, occurring near the tree-limit (1800 — 1900 m.) and 



found only among Pinus cembra, on which it probably feeds. Austria and Germany. — The larva has scarcely 



been differentiated trom that of the following species, but feeds chielly on Abies excelsa and pectinata, Picea 



excelsa, etc., rarely (perhaps never in a wild state) on Pinus sylveslris. It is apparently on the whole rather 



more weakly-marked than that of obeliscata, but variable; Hubner is in error in figuring it with a red head. 



It hibernates and feeds up in the spring. Pupa very like that of obclisccda. The moth appears in May and 



June, in some localities rather earlier than obeliscata, and there seems to be a very partial second brood hxter in 



the summer. It inhabits pine-forests, in Central and Northern Europe, a few more southerly localities, the 



mountains of Central Asia and China, E. Siberia and Japan. 



