468 BRITISH LEPIDOPTERA. 



larger size and rich parure. It appears in the second fortnight of 

 December ; the first example was taken at light on December 18th. In 

 the Ann. Ent. Soc. Fr., vii., p. 7, he further notes that four were taken 

 altogether, by himself and a friend, all males, between December 12th- 

 20th, 1876. Bellier de la Chavignerie (ibid., p. 367) states that; he 

 considers the Sicilian form the same as Milliere's canensis, and that 

 there was no doubt of their being referable to P. popnli. Oberthur 

 considers (ibid., viii., p. 81) canensis to be a good geographical race of 

 the latter species — of larger size, more robust form, the general tone 

 of coloration clear grey, the lines strikingly developed, yet more vague 

 than in P. popidi from the centre of France. 



j8. var. calberlae, Eagusa, "Nat. Sic," viii., p. 223, pi. iii., figs 1-2, ^ and ? 

 (1889). — II tf e la $ cli Sicilia sono una volta e mezza piu grande di quelli del 

 l'Europa centrale, ed hanno entrambi la macchia basilare delle ali anteriori grande 

 e ben marcata e la fascia lineare nei due sessi interrotta da due macchie gialle cbe 

 formano per cosl dire un'altra fascia (Eagusa). 



This form was first noticed by Bellier de la Chavignerie (Ann. Soc. 

 Ent. France, 1860, p. 687), who states that he reared on January 1st, 

 1860, a 2 from a larva taken with others in May, 1859, on the bark of 

 Quercus ilex. He noted it as differing from P. populi in its wider wings, 

 in having grey-yellowish powdering, and by the yellow fringe being 

 chequered with brown. Later, he referred (ibid., 1877, p. 367) the insect 

 to canensis, stating that he could not agree with Milliere in considering the 

 latter a distinct species, and asserting that its cocoon, habits, and time of 

 appearance are identical with those of P. populi. Really there appears 

 to be but little, if any, difference between this form and var. canensis. 

 Both appear to have the basal mark exceedingly well characterised, and 

 the tendency to the doubling of the elbowed line mentioned by Ragusa in 

 the Sicilian form is shown in Milliere's figure of canensis (Ann. Soc. Ent. 

 France, 1877, pi. i., fig. 9). Ragusa's examples were obtained at Girgenti. 



y. var. alpina, Frey, " Lep. der Schweiz," p. 95 (1880) ; " Mitt. Schw. Ent. 

 Ges.," vii., p. 18 (1887). Cannensis, Pivng,, " Stett, Ent. Zeit.," 1., p. 144 (1889). 

 Canensis, Ibid., lvii., p. 223 (1896). — The var. alpina is a fine mountain-form, with 

 more white on the forewings, especially those of the <? . Hnateck reared it years 

 ago at Sils-Maria, in the Engadine, and Zeller-Dolder then acquired it for his 

 collection. It is at present a great rarity (Frey). 



Frey says (Mitt. Schw. Ent. Ges., vii., p. 18) that he was informed 

 by Zeller that this was the same form as, and agreed with, canensis, 

 Mill. Frey was inclined to think the original types wanted comparison 

 before the two were united. There appears to be no specimen labelled 

 as this variety in the " Frey collection," nor, indeed, any alpine 

 examples, unless they be among the unlabelled specimens, so that it is 

 probable it was described from Zeller-Dolder's collection. Piingeler 

 records the occurrence of larvse of var. alpina a>t St. Maurice in August, 

 1877, on larch (Pinus larice), the cocoons with pupae also found in 

 numbers, in the neighbourhood, under stones. An empty cocoon was 

 also obtained under a stone at the Riffel-alp. 



Egglaytng. — The eggs described were laid by a captive female on 

 the inside of a chip box. Some are placed close together side by side, 

 and with their long axes parallel, in little rows of five or six, others are 

 scattered here and there over the surface of the box. Newman states 

 that they are laid, three or four together, on the bark of oak (Quercus 

 robur), poplar (Populus nigra), &c. Miss Miller observes that the eggs 

 are laid singly or in batches of twelve or less, whilst Pearson notes the 



