i8o 



THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



[September 



II, p. 441. Tessevadactyla, Zett. Ins. Lap. 1,012. 



Some doubt seems to have existed as to the synonymy of this 

 species, and many Continental specimens bearing this name are un 

 reliable. I have seen and received undoubted specimens of gonodactyla 

 bearing this name. Very few Continental lepidopterists appear to 

 know the species well. Dr. Jordan found some difficulty with it. 

 (' Entomologist's Monthly Magazine,' Vol. VIII , pp. 137-138), 

 but I have little doubt that the true zettevstcdtii of Zeller is our 

 species. 



Imago— This species is very closely allied to gonodactyla, and has 

 the same markings, but zetievstedili.is much smaller, the colour is very 

 much brighter, and the markings are much more intense ; the wings 

 of zettcrstedtii are also comparatively broad compared with the length. 

 The expanse of wing is about 9^ to 10} lines. The anterior wings 

 are divided into two lobes, the superior of which is acutely angulated ; 

 the ground colour is of a pale ochreous-almost golden-brown in some 

 specimens ; the costa is dark reddish-brown, and another stripe of the 

 same colour runs along the inner margin in which are placed three 

 pale marks, one near the base, one near the centre and one between 

 this and the anal angle ; the central area is thus paler ; a dark red- 

 dish-brown triangular blotch is situated on the costa (as in gonodactyla) 

 terminating just within the cleft of the anterior wings; parallel with 

 the hind margin is a dark band passing from the costa through the 

 fissure to the inner margin (just within the anal angle) and this is 

 edged exteriorly with a pale line. The fringes are dark outside with 

 a pale line bordering the outer margin of the wing. The posterior 

 wings, composed of 3 plumules, are brownish-grey with paler fringes, 

 the third (posterior) plumule with a patch of black scales in the 

 middle, with whitish cilia at the anal angle. Head, thorax and 

 abdomen the same colour as the wings. The imagines of this species 

 however exhibit a certain amount of variation running somewhat 

 parallel to that of the first brood of gonodactyla. Very pale specimens 

 (of a whitish ochreous ground colour) are comparatively rare, and 

 those I have seen have always given me the impression of being worn 

 Mr. South describes a pale form " Entomologist," Vol. XV., p. 33. 

 His description of tcsmadactyhts, p. 34, shows this to be the ordinary 

 form taken by Mr. Austin at Folkestone. Mr. South also mentions, 

 "Entomologist," Vol. XV., p. 34, that one of his specimens measured 

 14 lines m expanse ; this is, of course, much beyond the average size. 



