  SATURNIA ARGUS.Plate XXIX. fig. 1. Order: Lepidoptera. Section: Diurna. Family: BombycidÆ, Steph. Genus. Saturnia, Schrank. Attacus, Germ. PhalÆna (Attacus), Drury. Saturnia Argus. Alis pallidÈ testaceo-albidis punctis ocellaribus fenestratis numerosis, caudis longissimis. (Expans. Alar. 3 unc. 5 lin.) Syn. Bombyx Argus, Fabr. Ent. Syst. III. 1. p. 414. No. 24. Donovan Nat. Repos. 5. 173. Oliv. Enc. MÉth. 5. 29. 22. PhalÆna (Bombyx) brachyura, Cramer Ins. tab. 29. f. 1. Drury, App. vol. 3. Habitat: "Sierra Leone, Mr. Smeathman, 1775" (Drury's MSS.). Upper Side. AntennÆ almost black, and pectinated. The neck and head flesh-coloured. Thorax ash-coloured. Abdomen pale flesh-coloured. Wings dingy flesh-coloured, the anterior ones having five or six small transparent spots situated in the centre of them. The posterior ones furnished with two long tails about two inches and three-quarters long, the extremities being cream-coloured, the upper part red-brown; with five small yellowish round spots, edged with black, placed in the centre of the wings. Under Side. Palpi brown. Tongue concealed. Legs red-brown. Breast, sides, and abdomen cream. Wings coloured as on the upper side. I have adopted the Fabrician specific name, notwithstanding its subsequent date, that proposed by Cramer being exceedingly inapplicable. Drury states, on the authority of Mr. Smeathman, that this curious insect was found on the island of Banana. Its flight is exceedingly slow, and its tails seem rather to impede it. Mr. Donovan states that several specimens of this insect had been received from Sierra Leone (which habitat is given by Drury in the body of his work, but corrected as above in the observations communicated to him by Mr. Smeathman) and that he is not aware of the species having occurred in any other part of Africa, neither had he understood that any other collector since Mr. Smeathman had met with the species. Of the original specimens a pair belonged to Mr. Drury, which came into the hands of Mr. Donovan, who also mentions a fine specimen as existing in the Banksian Cabinet at the LinnÆan Society; adding, that some few other specimens passed into different continental Cabinets, all of which, however, were those collected by Mr. CALLIMORPHA EPIMENIS.Plate XXIX. fig. 2. Order: Lepidoptera. Section: Nocturna. Family: ArctiidÆ. Genus. Callimorpha, Latr. PhalÆna (Noctua), Drury. Callimorpha Epimenis. Alis nigris, anticis maculÁ magnÁ pone medium albidÂ, posticis basi nigris apice fulvis margine atro. (Expans. Alar. 1 unc. 3 lin.) Syn. PhalÆna (Noctua) Epimenis, Drury, App. vol. 3. Habitat: "Virginia, Mr. Abbot, 1774" (Drury's MSS.). Upper Side. AntennÆ black and setaceous. Eyes, head, thorax, abdomen, and anterior wings black, the latter with a large straw-coloured patch placed near the ends, and reaching across the wings from the anterior edges almost to the lower corners. Posterior wings nearly black, with a large orange-coloured patch, occupying one-third of the wings, and placed along the external edges. Under Side. Palpi, head, legs, breast, sides, and abdomen, black. Wings coloured as on the upper side, with the addition of two small straw-coloured spots placed between the large ones and the shoulders; the colours being also rather brighter. Margins of the wings entire. LITHOSIA? INO.Plate XXIX. fig. 3. Order: Lepidoptera. Section: Nocturna. Family: LithosiidÆ, Steph. Genus. Lithosia? Fabr. PhalÆna (Noctua), Drury. Lithosia? Ino. Alis albidis, anticis punctis duobus humeralibus maculisque duabus magnis nigris (scil. ante et pone medium); thorace nigro punctato. (Expans. Alar. 1 unc. 3 lin.) Syn. PhalÆna (Noctua) Ino, Drury, App. vol. 3. Habitat: "Madras, Mr. Skeene, 1772" (Drury's MSS.). Upper Side. AntennÆ brown and setaceous. Head cream-coloured. Neck black. Thorax and abdomen cream-coloured, the former having some black spots on it. Anterior wings cream-coloured, with a large triangular black spot placed at the tips, another on the middle of the wings, extending across from the anterior edges almost to the lower corners. There are also two small ones next the shoulders. The external edges have a row of small black spots placed thereon. Posterior wings cream-coloured, tinctured with red, with a faint black border, rising at the upper corners where it is broadest, and running half-way to the abdominal ones, gradually narrowing. Under Side. Palpi, breast, legs, sides and abdomen cream-coloured. Wings reddish cream, without any marks; the black marks, &c. on the upper side being faintly perceived. Margins of the wings entire. CALLIMORPHA? HELCITA.Plate XXIX. fig. 4. Order: Lepidoptera. Section: Nocturna. Family: ArctiidÆ, Steph. Genus. Callimorpha? Latr. PhalÆna (Noctua), Drury. Callimorpha? Helcita. Alis testaecis apice nigris, fasci maculari albÂ. (Expans. Alar. 3 unc. 5 lin.) Syn. Papilio (Dan. Cand.) Helcita, Linn. Syst. Nat. 2. 763. 94. PhalÆna fascelis, Linn. Mus. Ulr. 390. No. 25. PhalÆna (Noctua) H., Drury, App. vol. 3. PhalÆna macularia, Fabr. Ent. Syst. III. 2. p. 140. No. 40. Habitat: "Sierra Leone, Mr. Smeathman, 1775" (Drury's MSS.). "In Indiis" (Linn.). India (Fabr. incorrectly). Upper Side. AntennÆ black and setaceous. Head, thorax, and abdomen black, the two last having a row of white spots running along the middle, and another on each side down to the anus. Wings fine dark red. Almost half the anterior next the tips being black, with five oval white spots thereon; three of which being the largest are joined together, the other two, being small and behind, are at a little distance apart. Posterior wings with a broad black border running from the upper to the abdominal corners, whereon are placed eight oval white spots at equal distances, two, being the outermost, very small and close together. Under Side. Palpi yellow. Tongue spiral. Legs, breast, and sides black, spotted and streaked with white. Abdomen yellow. Wings coloured and marked as on the upper side. Margins of the wings entire. Mr. Smeathman states that this insect is found in the savannahs. It is a sluggish creature, and easily taken. A specimen of this very rare insect was sold in the collection of the late Mr. Stothard, on the 18th May, 1835; and was purchased by Thomas Norris, Esq. M.E.S. at the price of fourteen shillings. |
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