HESPERIA MALV-E. 



227 



7. ab. intermedia, Schilde, " Berl. Ent. Zeits.," p. 55 (1886) ; Riihl, " Pal. 

 Gross-Schmett.," i., p. 831 (1895) ; Tutt, " Brit. Butts.," p. 124 (1896). Alveolus, 

 Hb., " Eur. Schmett.," p. 71, pi. cxvi., fig. 597 (1805).— Previous to 1885, I gave 

 considerable attention to the variation of this species, and have, as a result, fourteen 

 examples of taras, all 3 s ; in addition, however, I have eleven specimens of a form 

 intermediate between the type and ab. taras, which occurs in both sexes, and which 

 I call intermedia. The upperside of the forewings resembles that of the type, but 

 that of the hind wings that of taras. Four examples (two 3 s and two ? s) of this 

 form have, also, the underside of the hindwings similar to taras, whilst the other 

 five 6 s and two $ s have only the upperside of the hindwings of the taras form, 

 the underside agreeing fairly well with malvae. The difference from typical malvae, 

 is, however, considerable. As to the sexual relationship of these forms it is to be 

 noted : (1) All ab. taras are c? s. (2) No ? malvae has the white marks on the fore- 

 wings like those of taras. (3) No taras S has spots C and K on the underside of 

 hindwings (see pi. ii.,fig. 1). (4) Both these spots are present in malvae. (5) These spots 

 always occur together in intermedia, not one or the other alone, as .C in alveus (fig. 

 3). (6) In all the Pyrgus forms mentioned, spot C may be absent, except in taras <5 

 and intermedia S and ? . (7) The sao-orbifer group, notwithstanding its resemblance 

 to intermedia on the upperside, is, on account of the arrangement of the bands and 

 spots on the underside further from the malvae-taras group, than the other noted 

 species of Pyrgus that have not this similarity on the upperside. (8) Although 

 antonia reminds one of taras on the upperside of the forewings, the underside is 

 very dissimilar. The development of these forms is connected with sex ; the most 

 widely divergent form from the type being only S , the ? being only transitional ; 

 c? intermedia tend to approach the true taras form, which the $ s do not. The 

 number of taras compared with the type, also varies in different seasons, and in 

 different localities (Schilde) . 



According to Schilde's figures of taras (see infra) and description of 

 intermedia, it is clear that the latter form had typical forewings, whilst 

 the hindwings have reduced spots, as in ab. taras. Oberthiir notes that 

 he has 24 examples between ab. taras and the type. Loftier {Ent. Zeits. 

 Gruben, xviii. ? no. 20) notes that he found 2 examples of this species, which 

 exhibited a complete transition to ab. taras, hitherto only recorded as 

 a $ form, and concluded that the species possesses a tendency towards 

 the taras markings, the 2 now beginning to follow the $ , which, first 

 developed the tendency in this direction. Well-marked 2 taras are 

 still very rare. 



8. ab. taras, Bergstrasser, " Nomenclatur," etc., iv., p. 40, pi. xci., figs. 5-6 

 (1780) ; Latr., " Enc. Meth.," ix., p. 784 (1819) ; Meig., "Eur. Schmett.," i., p. 

 61, pi. Iv., figs. Sa-b (1830); Speyer, " Geog. Verb.," p. 290 (1858); Staud., 

 " Cat.," 2nd ed., p. 34 (1871) ; Kirby, " Eur. Butts.," p. 63 (1882) ; Frey, " Lep. 

 Schw.," p. 53 (1880); Lang, " Butts. Eur.," p. 345, pi. lxxxi., fig. 2 (1884) ; Kane, 

 " Eur. Butts.." p. 143 (1885); Schilde, "Berl. Ent. ZehX," p. 55, pi. ii., figs. 

 7-9 (1886); Barr., "Lep. Brit.," p. 269, pi. xxxvii., figs, lb-c (1893); Riihl, 

 "Gross-Schmett.," pp. 679, 831 (1895); Tutt, "Brit. Butts.," p. 124 (1896); 

 Kirby, "Handbook," etc., iii., p. 11, fig. (1897); Staud., "Cat.," 3rd ed., p. 

 97 (1901) ; Loffl., "Ent. Zeit. Guben," xviii., pp. 77-78 (1904). Malvae var., 

 Esp., "Schmett. Eur.," pi. 1L, fig. 2 (1780). Althaeae, Esp., "Schmett. 

 Eur.," ii., pp. 4, 149 (with ref. to pi. Ii., fig. 2) (1781). Fritillum*, Fab., 

 "Mant.," ii., p. 91 (teste references) (1787); "Ent. Syst.," iii., p. 353 (teste 

 references) (1793); "111. Mag.," p. 287 (1807); Lewin, "Insects," etc., p. 96, 

 pi. xlvi., figs. 4-5 (1795) ; Stphs., "Ins. Cat.," p. 26 (1829) ; Humph, and Westd., 

 " Brit. Butts.," p. 121, pi. xxxviii., figs. 7-8 (1841) ; Kirby, " Syn. Cat.," p. 614 

 (1871). Altheae, Bork., " Sys. Besch.," i., pp. 188, 288 (1788) ; ii., p. 237 (teste 

 references) (1789). Lavaterae, Haw., "Lep. Brit.," p. 52 (1803) ; Bdv., " Gen. 

 et Ind. Meth.," p. 37 (1840) ; Dup., " Cat. Meth.," p. 36 (1845) ; Newm., "Brit. 

 Butts.," p. 170 (1869) ; Butl., " Cat. Diurn. Lep.," p. 282 (1869) ; Dale, "Brit. 

 Butts.," p. 223 (1890). Alveolus, Hb., "Eur. Schmett.," figs. 847-8 (post 1823). 



® The reference (Esp., pi. Ii., fig. 2) of Fabricius suggests that he was here 

 dealing with taras. On the other hand, his description suggests alveus or carthami. 

 This also was Godart's opinion. 



