Annals of the Transvaal Museum 171 
of 8; 10 from well before upper angle, anastomosing with stalk of 7, 8, 9 to 
form an areole which is about four times as long as broad; 11 from upper 
median at before |dh; 12 almost parallel to costa. 
Hind wing semicircular in shape; costa well arched; apex rounded; outer 
margin arched, slightly sinuate; tornus well rounded; inner margin straight; 
1 a and 1 b nearly straight ; 2 from f rd lower median ; 3 and 4 from lower angle 1 ; 
4 curved; 5 from middle of discocellulars, which are erect; a distinct forked 
veinlet in cell; 6 and 7 on a stalk of nearly |-rd of 6; 8 almost parallel to upper 
median and approximated at before middle where both veins form a knob 
indicating a bar. 
This genus has a good number of species in the Northern hemisphere and 
a few species are also found in South America and Australia. It is therefore 
interesting to note that not less than six species are now known from South 
Africa. The species of this genus are generally white or grey ( esmevalda is 
light bluish-green) with black markings. The South African species may be 
tabulated as follows: 
1 a. Ground colour of fore wing light bluish-green . . esmeralda 
b. Ground colour of fore wing white ....... 
2 a. Hind wing with a terminal dark band on upper or under side 
b . Hind wing without such a band . ...... 
3 a. Hind wing with terminal band on under side giving a dark shade on 
upper side ........ bifasciata 
b. Hind wing with the terminal band on both sides . spiritalis 
4 a. Base of fore wing till antemedial line suffused with black, postmedial 
line distinct, double ...... argentescens 
b. Base of fore wing white, at most with a few black speckles; post- 
medial line indistinct or absent ....... 
5 a. A distinct antemedial black band from costa to inner margin; cilia 
of both wings checkered with black scales . . marshalli 
b. No distinct antemedial line, at most some black scales at costa and inner 
margin; cilia white, though beyond the terminal black spots a few 
black scales may mix with the cilia . . . swierstrae 
Cerura Argentescens. 
Cerura argentescens Hmspn. A.M.N.H. 8. v. p. 458 (1910). 
Hab. Natal (Lidgeton) . I have not seen this species yet 2 . 
Cerura Bifasciata spec. nov. 
(PL XIII, fig. 8.) 
$. Head, thorax, base of abdomen on upper and nearly whole of abdomen 
on under side, and ground colour of wings on both sides pure white; frons at 
sides, hairs of palpi, and branches of antennae fuscous-black (xlvi) ; shaft of 
1 Some specimens of spiritalis have 3 from fth 2 to 4 and 4 from lower angle, 
while some have one wing normal and the other wing abnormal. 
2 Since writing the above, I have seen two specimens in the collection of the 
South African Museum, one of which bears a label in Hampson’s own handwriting 
and is identified as Cerura argentescens Hmpsn. These specimens agree in every way 
with the description, but on the other hand it is not a Cerura as the median spurs 
are present on the hind legs, and I find it moreover indistinguishable from Pararethona 
hierax <$. The other specimen is also clearly a $ of P. hierax. I consequently think 
that C. argentescens has to be sunk as a synonym of P. hierax, though I refrain from 
doing so until I have seen the type specimen. 
p. 172 
2 
3 
4 
p. 171 
P- 173 
p. 171 
5 
P- I 73 
P- *73 
