472 BRITISH LEPIDOPTERA. 



typical form. The grey of the type is replaced in ab. fuchsi by a 

 delicate fox-red. This colouring is especially conspicuous in the 

 marginal and central areas of the forewing and on the margin about 

 the apex of the hindwing, while the other parts of the wing are 

 almost rose-colour, and much softer-toned than in ordinary S. populi. 

 These are the basal-area, the space between the central and 

 marginal areas of the forewing (where, on both surfaces, the fox-red 

 colour is lost in the rose without any distinct demarcation), on mar- 

 ginal spot above the inner angle of the same wing, and the space 

 between the base and the fox-red apex of the hindwing. This 

 central space is traversed on the hindwing by an indistinct double 

 stripe of fox-red colour. The large basal patch of the upperside of 

 hindwing is not dark red-brown as in the type, but weakly rust- 

 brownish. This aberration was erected upon two otherwise entirely 

 agreeing 2 examples of which the one only differed from the other 

 in having the markings better expressed ; also a specimen of ab. 

 fuchsi lying before me is a 2 . One of Fuchs' examples came from 

 a larva found on Populus tremula, but it would be an error to ascribe 

 the origin of this aberration to the influence of the leaves of the 

 plant mentioned, for it is generally known that the larvae living 

 on aspen yield just as variable moths as those which feed on black 

 poplar or willow. Central Europe (North Germany and Rheingau) ; 

 probably also in the rest of Europe everywhere among the type " 

 (Palaeark. Gross-Schmett., ii., p. 193). 



6. var. populeti, Bien., " Lep. Ergeb. Pcrsien," p. $5 (1870) ; Kirby, " Cat.," 

 p. 710 (1892); Bartel, "Palaeark. Gross-Schmett.," p. 194 (1900); Staud., 

 "Cat.," 3rd ed.. p. 90 (1901). — Smerinthus populeti, n. sp. Smerinthus alis 

 supra pallide ferrugineis ( ? albido ochraceis) obsolete dentatis, fasciis ferrugineis ; 

 anticis puncto medio nullo, posticis basi ferrugineis. 100mm. — 110mm., 2 $ and 1 ?, 

 the former much worn, in a poplar plantation at Meschhet. Larger than S. populi, 

 paler and more indistinctly marked. The transverse bands are scarcely indicated in 

 the S , in the ? the outer is bright rust-colour ; the inner, bounding the basal area, 

 is lighter rust-colour. The sharply defined basal area of the ? is lighter with two 

 darker marks in the middle. Colour of body agrees with wings. Antenna? of $ 

 strongly dentated, of the ? with only a slight suggestion of teeth. Beginning of 

 July, 1858. Mesched and Charlog (Bienert). Pallide ferruginea vel albido-ochracea, 

 al. ant. minus signat. [in $ fere unicolor.], non albido lunnlatis (Staudinger). 

 Kouldja (Alpheraky). 



By some lepidopterists this eastern form is considered to be a 

 distinct species, and var. populetorum has been suggested to be a variety 

 thereof. 



I. var. populetorum, Staud., " Stett. Ent. Zeit.," xlviii., p. 65 (1887) ; " Cat.," 

 3rd ed., p. 99 (1901); Kirby, "Cat.," p. 710 (1892); Bart., " Palaeark. Gross- 

 Schmett.," ii., p. 195 U900). Populi var., Alph., " Hor. Soc. Ent. Ross.," xvii., 

 p. 16 (1882). — From Usgent I received over 100 bred specimens of this form, also 

 single individuals from Osch, sent by Haberhauer. I at tirst took them for populeti, 

 Bienert, but this north Persian form is smaller and far more uniformly marked. The 

 few specimens I have (2) or have seen of var. populeti are strongly reddish -grey in 

 tint, and the wings especially exhibit only a darker transverse baud on the outer 

 margin. Although this, especially in the forewings, gives a tolerably different 

 aspect, yet 1 suspect that populeti is only one of the many local forms of A. populi. 

 The central Asiatic var. populetorum approaches far more nearly the Algerian var. 

 austauti, Staud., for this also is only a local form of A. populi, the different colour 

 aberrations of which have been recently provided by Austaut with names. The dull 

 yellow-green specimens lie has called staudingeri, the reddish form incarnata, and 

 the dark grey mixed with brown mirabilis. In size, my central Asian populetorum 

 vary from 85mm. — 112mm., and are, therefore, as large, on the average, as the north 

 African austauti, of which, indeed, my largest specimen measures 1 1 8mm. The 



