744 
AUTOMERIS. By Dr. M. Dratjdt. 
occidentalis. 
daudiana. 
hebe. 
mclman. 
dandemon. 
colenon. 
eogene. 
io. 
argus. 
With. 
lufheri. 
coloraden- 
sis. 
neo- 
mexicana. 
texana. 
mexicana. 
erythrops. 
occidentalis f.n. (Ill Ad) are somewhat smaller greyer specimens from Western Mexico (Guerrero) with a 
somewhat more intense marking and a darker and more extensive red colour at the inner margin of the hindwing. 
daudiana Drc. (Ill A e) is very similar, the forewing light ash-grey, the marking otherwise the same, but 
the postmedian line is feebly convex towards the margin. Probably also only a form of it from Cuernavaca. 
A. hebe Wkr. (= thyreon Dyar) (111 Ac). Forewing reddish ochreous, basally and at the costal margin 
often somewhat darker, both the transverse lines as well as the subterminal line marked by small blackish 
lunular spots, the postmedian line almost straight, the slightly darker, mostly somewhat more ochreous discal 
spot marked by dark dots or also not. Hindwing ochreous, at the inner margin red, with a small black, white- 
centred ocellus, behind it a black, then a red-brown feebly undulate line. Abdomen dark ochreous. The $ 
has a deep purple brown ground-colour, the small lunular spots of the transverse lines on the inverted sides 
bordered with greyish-white. Mexico. Conte mixed hebe with orestes Bsd ., which is impossible, Walker’s 
description exactly fits that of thyreon which is very variable. 
A. melmon Dyar. Somewhat larger than hebe. Both the sexes show a somewhat sharper apex of the 
fore wing. Ground-colour of £ yellow, the macular lines brownish-grey, the two exterior ones almost straight, 
the interior one only traceable. In the pinkish-brown $ the transverse lines are only feebly marked by whitish 
scales. Hindwing as in hebe. Expanse of wings: 51 mm, $ 56 mm. Mexico. - dandemon Dyar (111 A c) 
exactly resembles melmon , but the shape of the wings is not so pointed at the apex; subterminal line almost 
entirely absent, postmedian line nearer to the margin. Hinclwing with a more extensive pink disc. Probably 
only a form of m.elmon from Cuernavaca (Mexico). — colenon Dyar resembles dandemon, but the lines are 
undulate-dentate and more curved, and there is a notched antemedian line, the discal ring marked by dots 
is filled with brownish; subterminal line undulate. In the $ the lines are likewise marked by white scales, the 
exterior one strongly dentate, marginal area somewhat lighter. Hindwing only at the inner margin red, in the 
9 the disc is darker orange. Also from Cuernavaca. A species hardly separable from the preceding hebe. 
A. eogene Fldr. (Ill Ac) belongs yet to the same group; I regard as £ two specimens from Mexico of 
my collection, exhibiting a darker reddish ochreous colour than hebe, more smoothly scaled and with more 
elongate wings; the spots of the transverse lines are much less distinct, the subterminal ones reduced to an anal 
spot and a subapical spot. Hindwing almost as in hebe, the disc deeper orange, the marginal area behind the 
submarginal line coloured as the forewing. The 9 is very similar to dandemon. larger, more violettish pink like 
the marginal area of the hindwing, too. Mexico (City, Zacualpan). 
A. io Fabr. (= corollaria Perry , varia Wlcr.. fabricii Bsdv .) (Ill A f) is the well-known North-American 
species which is often also bred in Europe, rather variable, in the $ yellow, in the $ dark purple brown or red- 
brown, with spottedly notched transverse lines which are often, especially in the 9, bordered with whitish on 
the inverted sides; discal spot filled with the same colour or brownish, bordered by dots or larger spots. Hind- 
wing dark yellow, at the inner margin and in the subterminal line red. Ocellus large. — ab. argus N. <£• D. is a 
light yellow male form without any marking, only the large ocellus on the hindwing being visible. Described 
from Hoboken (N. J.). lilith Stkr. (Ill A f) is more obsoletely marked on the forewing, suffused with reddish, 
the hindwing in the disc not yellow, but blackened. Larva on Mangroves. Florida. — lutheri CJcll. (= fuscus 
Luther nec Wkr.) is the common North-Atlantic form of io, somewhat larger and generally dusted darker and 
especially the 9 more intensely marked yellowish whitish-grey. Rhode Island. — coloradensis Ckll., described 
from Colorado, is similar to the form fuscus, but on the forewing more intensely dusted purple or violettish- 
grey, the ocellus removed very near to the black postmedian line or touching it. Discal spot of forewing usually 
small. — neomexicana B. & Benj. is in the 9 forewing intensely strewn dark with deep purple grey triangular 
spots between the veins in the subterminal area. Hindwing as in coloradensis , but less intensely suffused with 
purple. The resembles a yellow lilith with an intensely black-edged discal spot. New Mexico. — texana 
B. d- Benj. forms in the male an intermediary between the yellow and red-brown lilith-iorms, and is similarly 
marked. The 9 is dusted with deep purple grey, in the basal portion with orange hairs, also the hindwing 
darkened deep purple grey excepting the intensely orange ring around the ocellus. Texas. — In Mexico the 
species becomes much smaller. Forewing of $ yellow to ochreous red, the transverse lines much more spotted, 
towards the inner margin the postmedian and subterminal lines are mostly confluent forming a large blackish- 
grey spot; ocellus of hindwing smaller, the transverse lines behind it more closely together: mexicana subsp. n. 
(Ill A e). Types: (J9 i n Coll. Draudt. The gregariously living larva is green, with star-like hair-tufts and, 
beginning from the 4th segment, with a white, above red lateral line; it burns severely, lives on many fruit- 
trees, also on cotton and spins a cocoon between leaves. 
A. erythrops Blanch, has remained unknown to me; very similar to griseoflava, but above beautifully 
orange, the oblique postmedian line of the forewing distinct, especially beneath. Hindwing also beneath with 
a large red black-edged spot and a transverse band behind it. Chile (Coquimbo). The 9 is lighter than that 
of the other species, approaching acharon f. debilis. Larva set with pointed, severely burning stings, greyish- 
brown with dingy white subdorsal and lateral lines and orange lines above and beneath the spiracles. On 
Bromelia, blackberry etc. The young larva lives gregariously, later on singly. 
