284 



EUPITHECIA. By L. B. Prout. 



— The larva lives spun-iip among the seed-heads of Veratrum, on which it feeds. The pupa hibernates in a 

 tough cocoon and sometimes passes 2 and even 3 winters in this state. The moth is found in July among 

 the food-plant, in the mountains up to 2000 m, distributed in suitable places throughout Central Europe, also 

 recorded from the Ussuri district. 



E. invisa Btlr., founded on a single worn cf, would probably, if fresh, have about the colour of 

 veratraria, possibly more that of a greyish absinthiala. It should be recognizable by its exceptionally broad 

 median area, the pale outer band on both wings being placed unusually near the distal margin; this band is 

 anteriorly not very strongly curved (though more so than in stibnotata), is bordered proximally by blackish 

 dots (not dashes) on the veins and traversed in the middle by equally distinct vein-dots; cell-spot as in 

 veratraria; lines obsolescent; subterminal scarcely discernible; fringe very weakly spotted. Palpus a little over 

 twice as long as diameter of eye; antenna rather slender, the ciliation minute; abdomen rather long and 

 slender, with ferruginous subbasal belt. Japan: Hakodate. 



E. fenestrata Mill. (13 h). Easily known by its very large size and white ground-colour, the transverse 

 brownish lines best expressed on the costal margin of the forewing, sometimes also rather conspicuous on the 

 veins. Palpus shorter than usual, face not very prominent. Variable. — Larva similar to that of veratraria 

 but with more or less strongly developed yellow belts. Foodplant and habits the same. Imago in July. 

 Extremely local: Alps of Southern France, Apezzo district, Carinthia, Carniola, Croatia and Herzegovina; a more 

 strongly marked variety, cretaceafa Pack, is widely distributed in North America. — subfenestrata Stgr., from 

 Achalzik, Transcaucasia, is perhaps another subspecies but its biology and anatomy have not been investigated. 

 Slightly smaller, cleaner, more bluish white, weakly marked, underside of forewing less dark, whitish banded. 



cerussaria. E. cerussaria Led. (13 g) is also a quite unmistakable species, much smaller than the preceding, the 



fenestrata. 



sub- 

 fenestrata. 



fine, very faint yellowish lines strongly dark-dotted on the veins, 

 narrow but midivided. Asia Minor, Syria and Algeria. 



Palpus rather short. Areole very long and 



cauchiata. 



klosi. 



E. cauchiata i)Mp. (12 g). Rather larger than sati/rata, yet not generally so large as veratraria; ground- 

 colour rather whiter or somewhat tinged with yellowish; the 5 dark lines of the median area more uniform 

 in their expression, the 2"'' to 5'^ parallel and equidistant; all are darkened where they cross the veins (as 

 in both the species named) and somewhat darkened (at times tliickened) costally ; distal area somewhat darkened, 

 the whitish postmedian band consequently rather well contrasted. — ab. klosi Dietze has the median area 

 more or less strongly darkened. — Larva on golden rod (Solidago virga-aurea), rarely on species of Aster. 

 robertata. Distributed in Central Europe and extending eastward to St. Petersburg. — robertata Eougemont has not yet 

 been satisfactorily made Imown, being only described as "almost looking like a Lwew^ia" (Cidaria) ; but figured 

 (uncoloured) in Iris vol. 16, pi. 4, fig. 17. Apparently rather dark, the hindwing to some extent reproducing 

 the design of the forewing. Believed by De Rougemont to be a distinct species. Bienne (Jura), one example, 

 taken at Ught. 



aggregata. E. aggregata Guen. Rather narrower winged than cauchiata. Testaceous yellowish, the lines exceed- 



ingly fine, vermiculated and so massed that definite bands can hardly be made out; only the subterminal 

 well developed, fulgurated, straighter towards the hinder angle. Cell-mark extremely slender, white-smrounded. 

 According to Staudinger variable. The type was from the Altai. Also recorded from the Ussuri district. — 

 /Mscicostato. fuscicostata Clir. (= fuscostigma Alph.) (13h) is more whitish, though still with a tinge of yellow, the distal 

 and costal margins of the forewing darker, the lines at the latter margin more strongly expressed. Occurs 

 with the name-typical form, also at St. Petersburg, in Transcaucasia and in W. Central China. 



pernotata. E. pernotata Guen. (13 h) has much in common with cauchiata and satijrata but is a quite distinct species. 



Mostly rather smaller than the former, more strongly marked, the costal and distal area of the forewing more 

 tinged with rust-colour than the rest of the wing, discal dot usually distinct, though not very strong. Median 

 area not sharply defined, the lines in the adjacent areas being about equally strong; white subterminal line 

 generally well developed. Larva on the leaves of Artemisia absynthium. The moth appears in the first half of 

 June and flies in the late afternoon or by day. Very local in Switzerland (Zermatt, etc.), not known elsewhere. 



satyrata. E. satyrata Hbn. (= grammaria £s(Z., fuscata Wrnbg. nee F.) (12 h). Extremely variable, medium-sized 



to small, the wings of normal breadth or rather narrow ; colour ash-grey or somewhat brownish grey, the alternate 

 darker and lighter lines not very strong m most of the forms, the alternate black and white spotting of the 

 veins generally very constant. Discal dot nearly always quite small but rarely wanting on the forewing; fringe 

 very weakly spotted. Abdomen not dark-belted. Hubner's figure (the name-type) is not very satisfactory, but 

 is moderately broad- winged, moderately strongly marked, rather too dark but probably intended to represent 

 strandi. the commonest, ample-winged Em'opean form. — ab. strandi Fuchs is apparently a rather large, pale, whitish-dusted 



