22 
EUCROSTES; XENOCHLORODES. By L. B. Prout. 
rubripunc- 
tata. 
simonyi. 
olympiaria. 
m inor. 
constant generic distinction thereform except in the simple discocellulars. Their taxonomy is somewhat dif¬ 
ficult, on account of the variations in the point of origin of the 1st median vein. 
C. rubripunctata Warr. (3 g). Of this very rare species I now know a third example, in better condition 
than the other two, and am able to provide a figure of it. It comes from Arima (Hondo) and was received by 
the late Mr. Joicey from a Japanese collector. 
37. Genus: Eucrostes Hbn. 
(see Vol. 4, p. 33; Vol. 8, p. 71; Vol. 12, p. 134 and Vol. lt>, p. 46). 
E. simonyi Rbl. (Vol. 4, p. 34, pi. 3 c). No further light has yet been obtained on the phylogenetic 
position of this isolated "Eucrostes'’ . It was not absolutely correct to say that the larva was ‘‘undescribed”, 
as Lord Walsixgham recorded it as “a conspicuous red larva”, but careful enquiries have shown that he left 
no manuscript notes on it. By an oversight the date of the larva was given as “16 March”; this should read 
“6 March”. Besides Teneriffe, the moth has been taken on Fuerteventura and — a very interesting discovery — 
in Rio de Oro, whence Riggenbach brought a series of ES and one $, all faded but agreeing exactly with worn 
specimens from the Canaries. An unexplained variability of the Teneriffe GG was mentioned by Rebel; a 
series from Santa Cruz showed dimorphism in this sex only, some being large (length of a forewing 12 mm), 
with somewhat shorter pectinations, leek-green forewing and a pronounced reddish shading round the eye, 
on the palpus and on the forecoxa, while others agreed with the type (forewing length 9 mm, coloration whiter, 
pectinations rather longer). The genitalia show no difference. 
38. Genus: Xenoclilorodes Warr. 
(see Vol. 4, p. 34). 
X. olympiaria H.-Schaff. (3g). It seems doubtful whether cremonaria is anything but a faded form, 
as the colour — like that of Iodis lactearia — is very fugitive and both colours have been found together (e. g. 
at Beirut). The figured E, from Haifa, was of a very decided green when received 13 years ago, and still retains 
a green tinge. To the geographical distribution is to be added Cyprus. 
X. beryllaria Mann f. minor Schwingenschuss is the small second-brood form, founded on examples 
from Gravosa, Dalmatia. 
4. Subfam.: Sterrhinae. 
It has been pointed out in Vol. 16 (p. 48, 61) that it is impossible to retain the names Acidaliinae 
and Acidalia in the Geometridae, on account of the laws of homonymy. Acidalia Tr. (Geometrid) was publi¬ 
shed in 1825 and so long as it was believed that no part of Hubn^r’s “Verzeichnis” was actually publi¬ 
shed before 1826, we assumed that this well-known name had priority here; but the Hubnerian dates 
which are now established (see Sherborn, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., Ser. 8, Vol. 9, p. 179) fix Acidalia Hbn., 
1. c., p. 31 (Rhopalocera) as 1818 and the name is in occasional use among workers at the butterfly-genus 
Argynnis; in any case, “once a homonym, always a hononym” is an inviolable principle of nomenclature. The 
non-availability of the subfamily name Acidaliinae of course follows from this and the substitution of Sterrhi¬ 
nae is now universally adopted among workers at the exotics. 
Much valuable revisional work on the subfamily has been undertaken during the last 20 years and much 
of it is still in progress. White it is still regarded, for practical purposes, as a moderately “natural” group, 
intensive studies of the venation and especially the genitalia have shown it to be less homogeneous, and less 
easy to define rigidly, than was formerly supposed. On the one hand, there seem to be well-marked tribal 
distinctions within the subfamily; on the other, there are many links between it and the subfamily La- 
rentiinae as at present understood; chiefly, though not exclusively, in the Asthena group of the latter, which 
might almost take rank as a third subfamily. No completely satisfactory new system is yet available, although 
the thorough-going studies on which Dr. J. Sterneck has for some years been engaged have brought us 
far in that direction and must be referred to in this place. Bearing in mind all the circumstances, I have 
reduced the changes of arrangement as compared with Vol. 4 to a minimum; Cosymbia has been brought for¬ 
ward to the vicinity of Calotliysanis (= TImandra), evidently its more appropriate position; the recently 
established genus Pylargosceles will be found at the end of the Rhodostro'phia group; Cinglis at the end of 
the Scopula {= Acidalia) group; otherwise the sequence is scarcely altered, although mention will be made occa¬ 
sionally of obvious affinities which will, sooner or later, necessitate further rearrangements. 
My own view of the subfamily from the standpoint of genitalia studies, verified or modified by a 
consideration of other structures, was adopted in collaboration with Messrs. Burrows and Pierce about 15 
years ago and forms the basis of the arrangement of my recent contribution to the ,,LepidopterorumCatalogus“. 
