OCR Text |
Show 1889.] INDTAN LEPIDOPTERA. 407 A handsome local species, much smaller than the Himalayan L. grandis in both sexes, somewhat similar in the female, but very different in the male, the fore wing and thorax of the latter sex being dark grey, with prominent brown markings. NOTODONTIDHE. BlRETA NANA, n. Sp. Allied to B. longivitta, Walker, and B. xanthophila. Male and female. Fore wings pale, dull ochreous, costal and hinder margins darker, a longitudinal ochreous-brown central stripe from the base to less than one third from the outer margin, curving slightly upwards at the end towards the apex, and a discal and a submarginal curved row of brown dots. Hind wings smoky brown, with dull ochreous border and fringe ; antennae with the shaft brown ; plumes pale ochreous grey ; palpi brown at the tips; head ochreous brown; thorax paler, with a brownish middle stripe ; abdomen above greyish brown. Below: wings pale yellowish, with thin centres, suffused with smoky brown, and this suffusion covers most of the body below ; the legs are also marked with the same colour, the tibiae of some specimens being entirely brown. Expanse of wings 1| inch. Hab. North Kanara, June 1887. Two specimens received from Mr. Wise, Nilgiri Hills, four specimens received from Mr. Hampson. One third less in size than B. longivitta, and distinguishable from it by the absence of the obliquely transverse denticulated lines on the fore wing. PHINECA CANITIES, n. sp. Male and female. Greyish white irrorated with grey, shaft of the antennae white ; fore wings with a broad antemedial, outwardly curved band, composed of two brown lines, with the space inside dark grey, the band being transected by two brown lines, one near the costa and the other just below the middle ; also a discal row of black marks on the veins; marginal line grey. Hind wings rather paler than fore wings, unmarked, marginal line grey ; cilia of both wings greyish white, with grey patches at the end of the veins ; veins on both wings rather prominent. Head and thorax paler grey than the abdomen. Underside paler than upperside ; hind wings whitish, veins and cilia as above, a small whitish costal space one fourth from the apex of fore wings; hind wings with a central, outwardly curved, pale grey band ; body and legs pale grey. Expanse of wings 1-1-p-y inch. Hab. North Kanara, June 1887. 4 J, 1 $, received from Mr. Wise. This insect is most nearly allied to P. basistriga, Walk., Catal. Lep. Het. B.M. vii. p. 1747 ; the type specimen of which is in the British Museum Collection, but without locality. |