80 
ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTES. 
Var. Matronalis, Freyer, N. Beitr., 405, (1831-1858). Hubner, (P lantaginis) Sam. Eur. Schmett., 238, (1793-1827). 
Var. Hospita, Schiffermiller, Syst. Verz., 310, (1776). Oschenheimer , Schmett. Ear., Ill, 314, (1810). Esper, ( Plantaginis ) 
36, (1777—1794). Hubner, Sam. Ear. Schmett., 126, (1793-1827). 
Var. Petrosa, Walker, Cat. Brit. Mus., Ill, 626, (1855). 
Eupsychoma Geometrical, Grote, Proc. Ent. Soc., Phila., IV, p. 318, t. II, (1865). 
Eupsyehomo. i Geometroides, Grote & Robinson, List N. Am. Lep., p. vii, (1865). 
I would here say a few words, more or less, regarding our American examples; the single types of Coespitis and Cicliorii, which 
were taken in California by M. Lorquin, present no differences from some of the endless variations found in Europe; Csespitis is like 
one of the common varieties that has the basal half of the secondaries black, and Cichorii, really, has no points in particular to distin- 
guish it from the ordinary European examples ; not even its size will save it, as I have trans-Atlantic examples equally as small, and one 
daumling still smaller; it may not be out of place here to quote in full the author’s remarks which follow his technical description of 
Cichorii. “This species is smaller than N. Caespitis, and however variable in ornamentation it may prove to be, will be readily distin- 
guished by the black fringes and clear yellow bands of the upper surface of primaries. The larvae of these species are stated to* be quite 
distinct, and to be found on different food plants.” * The black fringes may distinguish it from the single example which served as the 
foundation for Csespitis, but they won’t separate it from any number of European examples, one of which, now before me, has the fringes 
on all wings black, another has the fringes black and yellow, according as these colours on the surface extend to the margin, the like 
colours also prevail on the fringes; the same applies to the var. Hospita, both European and American examples. As regards difference 
of larvae and food plant ; if the student chooses to confine himself to closet study, entirely neglecting to see nature under more favourable 
circumstances, he must not be disappointed if error is the result; I thought that the omnivorous appetite of the Arctian larvae was too 
well known for any one to base specific distinctions on what they eat; I have had them to feed on anything from grass to an old green 
pasteboard box, and I doubt if a green thing exists that they would not attempt to digest if you give them a chance. Too much stress is 
also often laid on difference in appearance of caterpillars, and that too in the face of the fact that same species in various genera are pro- 
duced from larvae presenting most remarkable differences of colouration; it is needless to enumerate such; it will be sufficient to refer to 
Eac. Imperialis, Thyreus Abbotii, various Graptas, ete., etc., nor can I well see why there should not be variation in the larvae of the 
same species, as well as in the imago. 
We now come to var. Petrosa, examples of which I have as yet seen none from Europe, though I have little doubt but thatthey may occur 
there ; this is the form re-described later by Mr. Grote, as Geometrica, who allied it to Otenucha and created the genus Eupsychoma for 
its reception, placing it in the Zygsenidtelf That Mr. Walker should have considered it a distinct species is not so much "a matter of 
surprise, he probably not having seen the many intermediate varieties, but to create, as Mr. Grote did, a new genus for a Nemeophila, 
and place it with the Zygamidse, is about out-Heroding Herod. Why the specific name was changed to Geometroides, in G. & R’s List 
N. Am. Lep., I do not know; in the original description and plate it is Geometrica, but whatever name was meant to be retained “is 
comparatively of little moment,” since this Zygsenid Arctian ally of Eudryas must lower its pretensions and fall back to Stephen’s genus 
Nemeophila and Walker’s name of Petrosa, and stand thus: Nemeophila Plantaginis L., var. Petrosa, Wlk. 
The wonderful and countless variations occurring among the Arctians are too well known to need more than a passing notice, but I 
cannot refrain from citing a few; on t. 5, Illustrations Zyg. et. Bombyc, by R. H. Stretch, are 16 figures representing nine varieties of 
Leptarctia Lena, Boisd., and they «e most astonishingly dissimilar, some having primaries grey and secondaries yellow with plain black 
margin, some have secondaries spiMsd in various ways, some have them red, others have secondaries all black, and white spots or bars 
on primaries, and in my possession are eighteen examples received from the author of the above work, all of which are different, more 
or less, from his figures ; one has all the wings entirely black on upper surface. On t. 3 of same work are three figures of Epicallia Vir- 
ginalis, Boisd., one with yellow secondaries having broken black bands, one with black secondaries with ochraceous spots, and the third, 
with the exception of a few small spots, has the secondaries entirely hlack, and in the eight examples in my cabinet are all sorts of 
intermediate forms between these. Of Arctia Caja L., the varieties are almost endless; they have red hind wings, orange ones and yel- 
low ones, with three spots, five spots, six spots, spots and bands, spots connected and spots isolated, one example from Britisb Am. has 
the upper wings almost entirely brown, the white being reduced to fine lines; and there are examples in which the upper wings are 
entirely brown and the lower ones entirely black. But to return to Plantaginis; I have received, at various times, of European and 
American examples, twenty-seven of the ordinary form in many variations, besides of var. Hospita, six from Europe and five from 
Colorado and Nevada, of var. Petrosa nine from Colorado, Nevada, etc. ; some of these latter have the secondaries entirely black, and 
with three white, disconnected marks on primaries; others have a white anal spot on secondaries, and four pale marks on primaries, 
connected (all except the spot within the cell, which is always free,) in some instances and in others not, one example has the two of the 
white marks connected in one of the primaries, whilst on the opposite wing the same marks are not united ; in some there is so much 
pale patching that it becomes hard to say to which variety they belong, whether to Hospita or Petrosa. 
Of Hospita, I believe the first examples found on this continent were taken by Mr. Mead, who captured quite a number of both that var. 
and Petrosa in Colorado; of the latter I also received specimens taken by Mr. Drexler many years since, and by the Wheeler Exped. of 
1871, as well as from others at various times. I noticed also an example, among a number of unspread Rocky Mt. Lep., in the coll, 
of Mr. Schonborn, in Washington; this also was from the Rocky Mts., and is very close to the type of Petrosa. 
March 17, 1874. 
PARNASSIUS SMINTHEUS, Dbldy. — I was formerly a strong advocate of the distinctness of this form from the Alpine P. 
Delius, Esp., but this will only serve as another illustration of the folly of arriving at such conclusions without the fullest material for 
comparison, for having lately received examples of P. Intermedius, Men., from the Altai Mts., S. W. Siberia, which is by all European 
authorities considered to be but a variety of P. Delius, I can only add that our Rocky Mt. P. Smintheus is also but a form of Delius, 
as between the examples of Smintheus from Colorado and Montana, and the lately received Intermedius from Altai, there is simply 
no difference whatever, they are identical ; and so sure were the trans-Atlantic Lepidopterists of this fact, that in the great Cata- 
logues of both Staudinger and Kirby, Smintheus is cited as a variety of Delius ; and Mr. Hewitson has repeatedly expressed to me 
the same opinion. 
* Trans. Am. Ent. Soc., I, p. 338, (1868), Grote & Robinson. 
f “ A. Zvgsenid genus allied to Ctenucha and presenting some analogies in the neureation to Eudryas.” Grote, Proc Ent Soc Phi> 
IV, p. 317, (1865). *’ “ *’ 
