HELIOPHOBUS POPULAMS. 69 



black plate ; these stripes are edged with black, and 

 freckled with grey or brown along their middle. The 

 spiracles are black, and immediately beneath them 

 comes the subspiracnlar pale stripe, edged and freckled 

 like those already described. 



The legs and prolegs are greyish-green or brown, 

 the latter ringed with darker brown, or with a brown 

 spot above their extremities; the ventral surface vary- 

 ing in tint, but in all shining and semi-translucent. 



Owing to the brilliancy of their skin, the play of 

 light on the polished surface makes a close scrutiny in- 

 dispensable to detect all the distinguishing marks of 

 each species ; still such are to be found, especially in 

 the region of the subdorsal and subspiracular stripes. 



Popularis, then, has a rather pale narrow line, edged 

 with blackish, running along midway in the space above 

 mentioned, all the pale stripes being uninterrupted. 

 Perhaps, too, the bronzy gloss of the back is warmer 

 in this species ; while the belly, though paler than the 

 back, is more dusky than in the others. 



Graminis has also a pale line running between the 

 spiracles and the subdorsal stripe. In this species 

 the segmental folds offer a good character, being 

 smoother and of a different tint from the back — in 

 fact, catching the eye as narrow transverse bands ; the 

 whole skin also is much wrinkled transversely; and 

 there are transverse pale streaks in the space alluded 

 to between the subdorsal and subspiracular stripes, 

 viz. three above the pale line, and two below it, on 

 each segment. The subspiracular stripe is wider than 

 in the other species (and the belly seems to have rather 

 a pale golden-brown gloss). 



Gespitis has, in the space between the subdorsal and 

 subspiracular stripes, three ragged and irregular, rather 

 paler, longitudinal lines, a little meandering in character, 

 and edged here and there with dark er, and being more 

 or less obscure ; and the belly and legs in this species 

 are decidedly tinted with green. (W. B., E.M.M. V, 

 225, 2, 69.) * 



