112 
CIDARIA. By L. B. Prout. 
The Entomologist's Record, Vol. 39, p. 1—5. Some careful analyses of the variation of both variata and ob¬ 
eliscata have been made by Hofer, Osthelder and others and several (perhaps too many) of the aberrations 
have been given separate names. — ab. nigrojasciata Heydem. Brownish white, with unicolorous blackish median 
area. This is perhaps the correct designation of the form which has usually been called ab. nigrojasciata Gmpbg. 
Heydemann points out that Gitmppenberg founded his name on Rossler’s black-banded aberration and 
argues (perhaps rightly) that the latter belonged to the Scotch fir species obeliscata, though he overlooks that 
Rossler both in 1866 and in 1881 mixed the two Thera and gave no indication of the foodplant of 
obscura. the ab. in question, so that personally I see no necessity for the change. — ab. obscura Hofer (= scotica Hofer, 
nec Stgr.) is a dark, uniformly greyish black form which Hofer originally confused with obeliscata ab. obliterata 
albohigrata. = scotica. Founded on specimens from the Wienerwald, certainly not racial. — ab. albonigrata Hofer has a 
interrupta. cleaner white ground-colour than ab. nigrojasciata. Also from the Wienerwald. — ab. interrupta Schawerda 
(= divisa Hofer), which can occur in either of the preceding forms, has the median band interrupted at the 
dissoluta. fold. Lower Austria and probably everywhere. — ab. dissoluta Hofer (= interrupta F. Hoffm., nec Schaw., 
maculata Hofer) lias the band twice interrupted, i. e., the posterior half broken into isolated spots; Hofer 
costimacula- cites our figure of stragulata (Vol. 4, pi. 8 h) as an example of this development. — ab. costimaculata Hofer 
ia - has only the anterior half (approximately) of the median band developed, i. e. about as far as the median vein. 
Founded on a $ from Rekawinkel and a $ from the Rosaliengebirge; Hofer says this is not a form of 
tenuifascia- stragulata. — ab. tenuifasciata Osthelder has the median band strikingly narrowed throughout, its posterior 
cembrae P ar ^ almost thread-like. Type from Falkenstein, near Ffissen. — cembrae Kitt (= coniferata Osthelder, nec 
Curt.) (11 b). My account of this race in Vol. 4, p. 216, is adequate, except that it should certainly not be 
associated with the black-banded ab. By an unfortunate lapse of the German translator, “pure grey” (English 
edition) has been rendered “rein weiB" and Mr. Hofer and Dr. Kitt, who evidently had not seen my original, 
attributed the error to me. As to coniferata Curt, (the “Northern Juniper Moth”, from Castle Eden Dene, 
Durham), which I cited in its correct place on p. 217 without comment, the confusion which has arisen from 
an absurd misidentification in Staudinger’s Catalog necessitates more detailed correction. Curtis's original 
figure, printed too dark (but not “grey”, as Staudinger gives) is a beautiful drawing (now in the possession 
of Lord Rothschild) of a rather large $ of cognata Thnb. and has never been a subject of uncertainty among 
our British entomologists; how Osthelder, generally well-informed on matters of geographical variation, 
britannica. could use it for a “high-alpine race” (1800 m and upward!), I am at a loss to imagine. — britannica H. J. Turn. 
(11 c) is of a soft delicate grey colour, less brown-grey than in the continental type, and with less contrast 
between the bands and the ground-colour, the white edging of the bands generally slender and inconspicuous; 
subterminal line oftener narrow or weak. Hindwing very weakly marked. Founded on a series from South¬ 
ampton, but applies to the whole English race (N. Devon, Hampshire, Surrey, Oxford and no doubt elsewhere 
nigrosignaia. in the southern counties), which is therefore clearly no recent introduction. — ab. nigrosignata Prout differs 
from typical britannica on having the principal markings (ante- and postmedian line, vein-marks on posterior 
half of median area, proximal-subterminal shade and apical dash) sharply black, the basal patch obsolete, the 
line or narrow band between it and the median area intensified. Hindwing rather darker than normal, with 
subtaurica. very distinct white postmedian line. Several examples from the New Forest. — subtaurica Wehrli (11 c). Grey, 
mixed with white, sometimes also with brown, somewhat mealy in appearance; basal area usually light, sub- 
basal band distinct, median band narrow posteriorly, often bordered by light bands, a large white subcostal 
spot at the outer edge of the median band generally conspicuous. Bertiz Jaila in June and Maras (gen. 2) in 
September; also from the Northern Lebanon. Approaches variolata Stgr. I do not think britannica, subtaurica 
and variolata ever attain the large size of many name-typical variata; but the latter can also be very small. 
ivoodi. — hybr. woodi Cockayne (variata-J 1 x obeliscata-$). Variable and in some ways intermediate between the 
two parents, but nearly always with the obeliscata tone in the median area. On the whole, this hybrid shows 
even more inclination to follow obeliscata than does the reciprocal cross. 
variolata. C. variolata Stgr. (Vol. 4, pi. 8 h). This may probably be as Reisser has suggested in recording it 
from the Riff Mountains, a further race of variata, connected with it by subtaurica. Always small, variation 
similar to that of variata. Abundant in the Blida Glaciers in June and again in September and October. Reis¬ 
ser says that in Morocco the enormous majority are dark olive-grey with deep coppery-brown band, lighter 
specimens being principally 
stragulata. C. stragulata Hbn. ( ? — pittneraria Franzenau) (Vol. 4, pi. 8 h). This may probably be as distinct 
from variata as obeliscata is; in any case it is an aid to clarity to treat it separately. So far as is yet known, 
it never appears in breeding from variata; moreover, whereas the latter lays freely in captivity, it is much 
more difficult to obtain eggs from stragulata and they are oftener unproductive or the resultant larvae deli¬ 
cate. Further, there are many localities for variata where stragulata is entirely wanting. Kautz and others 
who know it in a state of nature strongly incline to regard it as a species. The genitalia, however, have shown 
no difference. Generally small, the white ground-colour shows a peculiar yellow-brownish or olive-brownish 
suffusion and the median band is generally rather deeply indented at, or just in front of, the 1st radial; hind¬ 
wing also whitish, fairly well-marked. Belongs chiefly, so far as I know, to Austria, Germany and Switzerland. 
