232 
BOMBYCOPSIS. By Dr. C. Aurivillius. 
ochroleuca. 
venosa. 
conspersa. 
metallica. 
capicola. 
indecora. 
13. Genus: Bombycopsis (Feld.) Auriv. 
This genus having been denominated but not described by Felder is allied to the genus Olyra and chiefly 
only differs in the longer pedicle of the veins 9 and 10 of the fore wing and the scalariform sub marginal line of 
them. Palpi beneath densely clothed with long hair, not or hardly projecting beyond the frons. Eyes at least 
behind scantily clad with fine though long hair. Antennae with two rows of pinnae which are in the J in the 
basal half very long and quickly get shorter outside, whereas in the $ they are short. Anterior tibiae unarmed. 
Hind tibiae only with terminal spurs. Distal margin in both wings entire with moderately long fringes. Distal 
margin of forewing about as long as the anal margin, uniformly bent. Forewing: Veins 4 and 5 separate, 6 and 7 
on a short fork, 8 from the discal cell, 9 and 10 not twice the length of then fork, 9 into the distal margin. 
Hindwing: 4 and 5 on a short fork; basal cell small without accessory veins. — Larvae somewhat depressed 
with long-haired lateral appendages of the joints 1 to 3, one magnificent spot on the dorsum of each of 
the joints 2 and 3, and on each side of the dorsum of the joints 4 to 10 with two tubercles. The pupa rests 
in a thin soft web which is often surrounded by a leaf that is rolled together. 
B. ochroleuca Feld. (31 d). $. Both wings are semi-transparent, light yellow, with darker, distinctly 
prominent veins. Head and dorsum somewhat darker, light brownish-yellow. Forewing above at the base 
somewhat darkened with almost straight brownish-yellow transverse lines and a similarly coloured submarginal 
line; the latter is at the costal margin from vein 10 to 6 straight, behind it scalariformly dentate. Hindwing 
on both sides and forewing beneath uni-coloured without markings with a bright yellow marginal line. 
A unknown. Felder states that the species originates from French Guiana; this statement must, however, be 
wrong. Before me is a specimen from Natal, that is exactly like the figure. 
B. venosa Butl. (31 d) is similar to ochroleuca , but distinguished by the wings being more densely 
scaled and for the greatest part suffused with a light brownish tint; this brownish tint occurs particularly in 
the marginal portion of the fore wing above and in the middle of the under surface of both wings. Head and 
dorsum of thorax as well as the basal portion of the forewing above are generally whitish or yellowish grey; 
abdomen, however, yellow. Fore wing in the $ above with a white discal dot which is often indistinct in the $. 
B. conspersa Auriv. (31 d), as the figure shows, differs in the darker upper surface of the forewing 
being more or less speckled with grey or blackish scales. The discal dot of the fore wing is absent in both sexes, 
and the proximal (subbasal) transverse line is sometimes indistinct. British East Africa to Elgon. 
B. metallica Dist. (35 b). Body covered with yellowish-brown hair; the hair of the palpi, of the head 
and thoracal dorsum at the apex grey. Antennae of $ long, reaching or somewhat projecting beyond the 
centre of the costal margin of the forewing; the pinnae in the basal portion very long. Forewing above 
almost monotonously dark greyish-brown with somewhat darker transverse lines bordered with whitish, the 
first of which is straight and almost erect, the second from the costal margin to vein 6 feebly bent towards 
the margin and then extending straight and oblique to the anal margin; a minute whitish discal dot; the 
sub marginal line is bordered with whitish, between the veins 9 and 6 straight and vertical to the costal margin, 
composed of narrow straight streaks, then scalariform as far as the anal margin. Hindwing above much lighter, 
somewhat lustrous greyish-yellow. Both wings beneath reddish-brown with lighter veins and dark fringes. 
Expanse of wings: 36 to 38 mm. Transvaal. Nyassa Land. 
B. capicola Auriv. Head, thorax and abdomen yellowish-brown or light whitish yellowish-grey. 
Forewing above as far as beyond the centre yellowish-brown with fine and very indistinct transverse lines; 
the second transverse line is almost straight, marginal area still lighter with a submarginal line composed of 
separate dark streaks, the light proximal border of which is not or hardly noticeable owing to the light 
ground-colour. Hindwing above greyish-yellow, in the A without any marking, in the $ generally with an 
indistinctly defined darker median band. Both wings beneath yellowish without markings; fringes at the ends 
of the veins darkened. Expanse of wings: 36 to 46 mm. Cape Colony. 
B. indecora Walk. (31 d) is a very variable species which, however, is at once discernible by 
the grey ground-colour and by a small jet-black dot at the anal margin of the forewing at the apex of 
vein 1. In the typical (31 d) the forewing above is almost monotonously grey as far as the margin, both 
the transverse lines distinct and straight or almost straight, a small discal dot and a distinct submarginal 
line which is composed of 5 separate divisions: one separate slanting streak each in la, 2 and 5, a slanting 
transverse line in 3 to 4, and of transverse streaks in 6 to 9, which together form a straight line. The 
hindwing is on both sides light grey or almost white with or without a lighter transverse band. The forewing 
beneath is dark grey with a light discal transverse band and lighter veins. The $ is similar to the <$, but 
much larger (expanse of wings: 42 to 57 mm) and generally also darker grey, particularly beneath, where 
the yellowish veins are distinctly contrasting with the blackish-grey ground-colour; sometimes the wings are 
more or less suffused with fawn-colour; the white discal dot of the forewing is absent. The larva is above greyish- 
