SATURNIA. 297 



2. S. hybr. hybrida*, Ochs. (spini 3 x pavonia ? ). — The reciprocal cross 

 of above, not yet produced in captivity, stated by Standfuss to be repeatedly found 

 in the wild state, generally as larva. Standfuss asserts (Handbuch, etc., p. 74) that the 

 parentage is undoubted, that the larva, though intermediate in character, shows 

 constant differences from that of S. bornemanni, and that the conditions in nature 

 for the pairing of S. spini 3 and S. pavonia ? are favourable, whereas those for the 

 converse cross are difficult or impossible. The males of both species emerge before 

 the females, and in regions where both occur S. pavonia is out first. Hence, though 

 the females of S. pavonia are out with the males of S. spini, the converse does not 

 take place. It must be allowed that it would be well to test this conclusion as to 

 the parentage of S. hybrida by experiment. The larva of S. hybrida resembles 

 S. pavonia somewhat more than does that of S. bornemanni ; it possesses, however, 

 the greasy polish of S. spini to a greater extent than the latter. The cocoon and 

 pupa both show a nearer approach to S. spini than do those of -5". bornemanni, and 

 the same applies to the perfect insect ; in fact, the resemblance of both sexes to the 

 male parent is remarkably close {loc. cit., pp. 74 — 76, pi. ii., figs. I — 2). 



3. -S. hybr. emiliae, Stdfss. (pavonia 3 x pyri ? ) and S. hybr. emiliae ab. 

 daubii, Stdfss. (dark aberration). — The crossing of S. pavonia 3 x pyri ? produced 

 hybrids which fell into two classes, a dark form called by Standfuss, S. daubii, and a 

 paler form to which he gives the name S. emiliae. The latter is by far the 

 commoner. As in former cases, if the laying be much deferred after pairing, 

 the eggs are apt to prove infertile. The larva in its early stages is very like that of 

 S. pyri ; as it grows it becomes more and more like that of -5". pavonia, and finally 

 bears a close resemblance to the latter species. The cocoon is intermediate ; 

 the pupa is nearer to S. pavonia than to S. pyri. The perfect insect, except 

 for a reduction in the sexual disparity of size, is more like an enlarged S. pavonia 

 than a diminished S. pyri. In a majority of specimens some of the nervures were 

 forked terminally at a greater or less distance from the margin of the wings (loc . cit. , 

 pp. 77—83, P- 81, figs. 3 -5 ; pi. i., figs. 1—4 ; pi. hi., figs. 13—14). 



4. S. hybr. hybrida-major, Staud. (nee Ochs.) (pyri 3 x spini ?). — Said 

 by Staudinger to have been described by Ochsenheimer {Die Schmett., i\\, p. 192). 

 There is no evidence whatever that the cross is pyri x spini (see footnote below). 

 Standfuss refers to it as spini 3 x pyri ? {loc. cit., p. 57). 



5. S. hybr. hybrida- jnedia, Staud. " Cat.," 2nded.,p. 70 (pyri 3 x pavonia ? ). 



The males of ,S. hybr. emiliae paired readily with the females of 

 S. pavonia; they were also attracted by the female hybrids, though in 

 a less degree. The latter were, as already stated, infertile, the 



* The original description {Die Schmett., hi., pp. 9, 10) reads as follows : "As 

 a result of the pairing of S. spini and carpini a hybrid has been produced which is 

 found in some of the Vienna collections under the name of Pavonia hybrida. I 

 have already mentioned it in the introduction to vol. ii., p. viii, and give here 

 a further description from a perfect pair which I received from the late H. Radda. 

 The 3 resembles S. carpini in colour and form, but is somewhat larger, the 

 ground-colour grey-brown, mixed with reddish, the first transverse line only 

 slightly inclined inwards towards the costa, the second undulated stripe terminates 

 above the eyespot of the hindwings, which are coloured yellow-grey in the middle. 

 The underside of the forewings is yellow-grey, that of the hindwings tinged with 

 reddish, with a white central spot, in which the eye [-spot] stands. The white 

 spot at its outer angle shows distinctly. The ? has the antennae like -5*. spini, 

 the undulated line of the forewings as in the 3 , the first transverse stripe towards 

 the base meets that of the hindwing, and the whitish central area thereof, in 

 which the eyespot stands, is broader, especially towards the inner margin. The 

 larva also is said to be intermediate between S. spini and £. carpini.'''' Ochsenheimer 

 says (id. ii., p. viii) : "I possess a perfect hybrid, in both sexes, which arises from 

 the crossing of B. spini with B. carpini, forms an unmistakable intermediate, 

 and is found also in some collections in Vienna under the name Pavonia hybrida." 

 In vol. iv., pp. 191 — 193, Ocshenheimer appears to have described another form 

 of this same hybrid (spini x pavonia), for he there writes that, on taking over 

 Radda's collection, he found not only three examples of the hybrid described in vol. 

 iii as Pavoitia hybrida-major, but also a second Pavonia hybrida-minor, which is as 

 essentially different from carpini as is the former from spini. He then describes the 

 two forms as Pavonia hybrida-major and P. hybrida-minor at length, the former in 

 both sexes, which resemble most those of S. spini, the latter also in both sexes, which 

 resemble most S. carpini. There is no reference to S. pyri in either description. 



