■*''■:"■■ '•.-■■'■■. m ■BHK : ■■'". Si K3b0S£Ww iSsfisss JR. ram ■ , . iiiliitfil! .-■■:..■■-. H " ; : ' ' ' ) '''. ' ' ; ■•■• IN CONNECTION WITH THE THING MUSEUM. EDITED BY LORD ROTHSCHILD, F.R.S., Ph.D., Dr. ERNST HARTERT, and Dr. K. JORDAN. Vol. XXVIL, 1920. (WITH SEVENTEEN PLATES.) Issued at the Zoological Museum, Trino. PRINTED BY HAZELL, WATSON k VINEY, Ld., LONDON AND AYLESBURY. 1920. CONTENTS OF VOLUME XXVII. (1920). MAMMALIA PAGES 1. A new Fat-tailed Gerbil (Pachyuromys) from Western Algeria. Oldfield Thomas . . 313—314 2. Captain Angus Buchanan's Ah- Expedition. — 1. On a series of small Mammals from Kano. Oldfield Thomas and Mabtin A. C. Hinton . 315 — 320 3. A note on Typo-locality and Geographical Races of the Gundi {('hnudactylus gundi Rothm.). Oldfield Thomas ...... 506 — 507 AVES 1. The Birds of the Commander Islands. Ernst Haktert . 128 158 1. The Birds of Buckinghamshire and the Tring'Reservoirs (Plates XII. — XIII. ). Ernst Hartert and Francis C. R. Jourdain .... 171 — 259 3. The new Names in J. Hermann's Tabula Affinitatum Animalium. Erwin Stresemann ....... 327 332 4. Types of Birds in the Tring Museum. Ernst Hartert .... 425 — 505 COLEOPTERA 1. Some African Anthribidae. Karl Jordan ...... 260 264 LEPIDOPTERA 1. Supplemental notes to Mr. Charles Oberthiir's Fauno des Lepidopteres de la Barbarie, with lists of the specimens in the Tring Museum (Plates XIV. — XVII.). Lord Rothschild ........ 1 127 2. Notes on and Descriptions of Sphingidae (Illustrated). Karl Jordan . 159 — 162 3. The Status of Plalysphinx bourkei Trimen (1910). Karl Jordan . . 163 — 166 4. Some new African Sphingidae (Illustrated). Karl Jordan . . . 167 — 170 5. New Geometridae. Loots B. Prout ....... 265 — 312 PAOES 6. On the Genus Elachyophtkalma Feld. Lord Rothschild . 321 — 326 7. Sphingidae of Para (Plates I. — XI.). A. Miles Moss . . 333 — 424 8. Supplementary notes on Dioplidac. Louis B. Protjt .... 508 — 509 9. On some African Sphingidae. Kari, Jordan ..... 510 — 512 INDEX 513 — 544 LIST OF PLATES IN VOLUME XXVII. I. — X. Caterpillars and Pupae of Sphingidae from Para. From drawings by A. Miles Moss. XI. Map of District of Para. By A. Miles Moss. XII. Photograph of Grasshopper Warbler. By O. G. Pike. XIII. Black-necked Grebe. By O. G. Pike. XIV.— XVII. Lepidoptera from Algeria. By H. and E. S. Knight. NOYITATES ZOOLOGICAE. »a H Journal of Zooloo\>- EDITED BY LORD ROTHSCHILD, E.R.S., Ph.D., Dr. ERNST HARTERT. and Dr. K. JORDAN. Vol. XXVII. No. 1. Pages 1—332. Plates XII., XIII. Issued June 15th, 1920, at the Zoological Museum, Trijjg. PRINTED BY HAZEIX, WATSON k VINEY, Ld., LONDON AND AYLESBURY. 1920. Vol. XXVII. NOVITATES Z00L0GICAE. EDITED EV LORD ROTHSCHILD, ERNST HARTERT, and KARL JORDAN CONTENTS OF NO. I. 1. SUPPLEMENTAL NOTES TO MR. CHARLES OBERTHUR'S FAUNE DES LEPIDOP- TERES DE LA BARB ABIE, WITH LISTS OF THE SPECIMENS IN THE TRING MUSEUM (Pis. XIV.— XVII.).*— PART II. . . . Lord Rothschild . 2. THE BIRDS OF THE COMMANDER ISLANDS Ernst Hartert . 3. NOTES ON AND DESCRIPTIONS OF SPHIN- GIDAE (Illustrated) Karl Jordan 4. THE STATUS OF PLATYSPHIXX BOURKEI TRIMEN (1910) Karl Jordan . 5. SOME NEW AFRICAN SPHINGIDAE (Illus- trated) Karl Jordan 6. THE BIRDS OF BUCKINGHAMSHIRE AND THE TRING RESERVOIRS (Pis. XII., XIII.) Ernst Hartert and Francis C. R. Jour- dain 7. SOME AFRICAN ANTHRIBIDAE . . . Karl Jordan . 8. NEW GEOMETRIDAE Louis B. Prmtt . 9. A NEW FAT-TAILED GERBIL (PACHY- VROMYS) FROM WESTERN ALGERIA . Oldfield Thomas 10. CAPTAIN ANGUS BUCHANAN'S AlR EX- PEDITION.— I. ON A SERIES OF SMALL MAMMALS FROM KANO .... Oldfield Thomas and Martin A. C. Hinton 11. ON THE GENUS ELACHYOPHTHALMA FELD Lord Rothschild 12. THE NEW NAMES IN J. HERMANN'S TABULA AFF1MTATUM ANIMALWM . . Erwin Slresemann . 1- -127 128- -158 159- -162 163—166 167- -170 i ii- -Z09 260- -264 265—312 313- -314 315—320 321—326 327—332 * Plates XIV.— XVII. will be issued with the next part. NOVITATES ZOOLOGICAE Vol. XXVH. JUNE 1920. No. I. SUPPLEMENTAL NOTES TO MR. CHARLES OBERTHUR'S FAUNE DES LEPIDOPTERES BE LA BARBARIE, WITH LISTS OF THE SPECIMENS IN THE TRING MUSEUM. {Continued from Vol. XXIV. p. 409 (1917).) By Lord Rothschild, F.R.S., Ph.D. (Plates XIV— XVII.) THE long-expected volume of Mr. Oberthiir's Etudes de Lepidopterologie Comparee, containing the Noctuidae of Algeria, has at last appeared. The date on the wrapper is Octobre 1918, but the volume was only, received in March 1919, so the date of publication for the new names published therein must be taken as 1919. It calls for various remarks. Mr. Oberthiir has adopted Guenee's system of classification of the Noctuidae. Now, although the aim of Science is to establish uniformity of nomenclature and a single classificatory system, it is impossible to forbid the use of any system ; we can only regret, therefore, that such a renowned entomologist as Mr. Oberthiir adopts systems and methods abandoned by the majority of modern workers in Entomology. But while we can only regret this retrograde policy of Mr. Oberthiir, we can and must strongly deprecate the reasons he has and gives for not adopting Sir George Hampson's classification. Whatever other objections Mr. Oberthiir may have to the British Museum classifica- tion, he lays stress on one only, namely he harps upon the rather unfortunate error made by Sir George Hampson in placing Phragmatobia breveti berth, in the genus Maenas. This error has long ago been acknowledged by its author. Mr. Oberthiir makes great capital out of the aquatic habits of certain American species of Maenas as opposed to the desert habitat of bzeveti, quite ignoring the fact that the genus Maenas contains many African and Indo-Malayan species as well as American, and these are, as far as we know, non-aquatic in their habits. Sir George Hampson was misled by the somewhat aberrant neuration of P. breveti, which is almost identical with that of Maenas ; moreover, breveti is not a Tricho- soma as Mr. Oberthiir asserts, but a true Phragmatobia, The abortive wings of the $ are not a generic character, but only specific, as can be seen in the case of Cymbalophora rivularis Men., which has a 9 with abortive wings, while Cymba- lophora pudica Esp. and C. oertzeni Led. have the $ full winged. The aquatic habits of the larva are also only of secondary importance, for in the genus Spilosoma (Diacrisia) we find Spilosoma (Diacrisia) metalhana with a free swimming aquatic larva, while sannio and amurensis, which are very closely allied, 1 2 NOVITATES ZOOLOGICAE XXVII. 1920. have ordinary terrestrial larvae. We cannot condemn a whole system simply because its author made one rather striking error. I have adopted the British Museum classification because so far there does not appear to be a better one. According to this classification, the family Noctuidae is divided into fifteen subfamilies, viz. : Agrotinae ; Hadeninae ; Cuculliinae ; Zenobiinae (Acronyctinae) ; Era- striinae ; Phlogophorinae (Euteliinae) ; Odontoninae (Stictopterinae) ; Sarrothri- pinae ; W ' ester manniinae (Acontiinae) ; Catocalinae ; Diphterinae (Mominae) ; Phytometrinae ; Noctuituie ; Polypogoniiiae (Hypeninae) ; and Hyblaeinae , Of these fifteen subfamilies, two, namely, the Diphterinae and Hyblaeinae l have no representatives in Algeria, and three others, the Phologophorinae, Odontoninae, and Sarrothripinae, have only one representative each. Sir George Hanipson, who is a great stickler for classical correctness, in the case of names forming subfamily appellations in which the ending is in "ia,'' insists on the subfamily being formed with the ending " ianae," such as Cucullianaehom Cucullia. The International Rules, however, say the sub-family term is to be made by the addition of the ending " inae " to the word, and so I have made the families Cuculliinae, Zenobiinae, Erastriinae, and W estermanniinat end in " iinae " instead " ianae." I am taking the species, in the first place, in the order Mr. Oberthiir has placed them in, for the purpose of critical remarks where these may be necessary ; but at the end I am giving a full list of the species and genera in the order followed by the British Museum classification. I am giving a list of the Algerian, Tunisian, and Moroccan specimens in the British Museum as well as those at Tring. 1. Bryophila petrea Guen. Bryophila petrea Guenee, Hint. Nat. Ins. Spec. Gen. Lipid, vol. v. Noct. vol. i. p. 25. No. 22 (1852) (Andalusia). Mr. Oberthiir records this species from Maafa and Lambessa ; we have received 35 from Guelt-ea-Stel, 1 from Batna, and 1 El Kantara. There are in the Tring Museum 18 (J <$, 17$$ from Guelt-es-Stel. This series shows considerable variation in the forewings, some being pale grey with hardly any markings, while others are of a deeper brighter grey with conspicuous black markings, and a few have such dark grey forewings that the black markings show up hardly darker than the ground colour. 1 ^Environs de Batna, 1914 (A. Nelva) ; 1 cj El Kantara, August 1917 (V. Faroult). 2. Bryophila aerumna Culot. Bryophila aerumna Culot, Xoct. et Gtom. d'Eur. pt. i. vol. i. p. 131, pi. 22. f. 17 (1912) (Giryville). Monsieur Culot quotes this and a number of other new species as "Oberth." because he adopts the names suggested by Mr. Oberthiir in his letters to him ; while Mr. Oberthiir quotes them as "Culot (secundum Oberthiir)." Both these methods are wrong ; the correct way of quoting is Bryophila aerumna Culot ; but if it is thought desirable to mention Mr. Oberthur's connection with these species, it should be done as follows: Bryophila aerumna Culot (Oberth. in lilt.) NOVITATES ZOOLOGICAE XXVII. 1920. 3 There are at Tring 32 specimens of this species from Sidi-bel- Abbes, September 1917 (M. Rotrou) ; Sebdou, September 1918 (P. Rotrou) ; Perregaux, September 1915 (V. Faroult) ; AIn Draham, September 1911 (V. Faroult). [Bryophila aeton Culot = Catamecia mauretanica Stdgr. Calamecia jordana var. mauretanica Staudinger and Rebel, Cat. Lepid. Pal. Faun, pt. i. p. 213. No 2192i) (1901) (Biskra). Bryophila aeton Culot, Noct. el Gtom. d'Eur. pt. i. vol. i. p. 132. pi. 22. f. 16 (1912) (El Outaya). Neither Mr. Oberthiir nor Mr. Culot have perceived that the type of aeton is only a heavily marked fine specimen of Catamecia mauretanica Stdgr.] 3. Bryophila divisa oxybiensis Mill. Bryophila oxybiensis Milliere, Rev. Zool. 1874, p. 242 (Cannes). Catamecia bryophiloides Rothschild, Novit. Zool. vol. xxi. p. 330. No. 194 (1914) (Guelt-es-Stel). The name divisa has one year's priority over that of pomula ; Esper being 1791, while Borkhausen is 1792. Pere Engramelle, it is true, is older, but he has " La Pomule " not pomula, so the date of pomula is that of Borkhausen, who latinised Pere Engramelle's name. In 1913 (Novit. Zool. vol. xx. p. 125, No. 52) I unfortunately identified some unicolorous grey specimens of this insect from the Oued Nca as Bryophila pineti Stdgr., which I then only knew from a drawing. I have now discovered this error, and I name these unicolorous specimens ab. unicolor ab. nov. The form of divisa oxybiensis most similar in coloration to typical divisa must bear the name ab. rufilincta Rothsch. (Novit. Zool. vol. xx. p. 125 (1913)), and the form with the basal two-thirds of the forewing below median fold black is ab. distincta Rothsch., and, lastly, the very dark form ab. saturatior Rothsch., both described on p. 125. We have at Tring 1 Hammam R'hira June 1916, 1 Alger January 1914 (V. Faroult) ; 27 c?c?, 21 $$ Oued Kca, June 1912 (E. H. and C. H.) ; 5 9 (1827). Both Warren's ab. pallida and my Borolia lacteicolor are the pale form of this insect. It is strange that this pale form is almost invariably smaller than the darker more strongly marked typical form. The series of Mauretanian examples at Tring consists of 319 specimens, 218 typical vitellina and 101 ab. pallida Warr. from Environs d'Alger, May 1908 (W. R., E. H., and K. J.) ; Blida les Glacieres, June 1908 (W. R. and K. J.) ; Khenchela, May 1912 (W. R. and K. J.) ; Hammam Meskoutine, April 1914 (W. R. and K. J.) ; Hammam R'hira, May— June 1908-1913 (W. R., E. H., and K. J.) ; Guelt-es-Stel, April— May 1912-1913 (W. R. and K. J., and V. Faroult) ; Batna, September 1910 — August-September 1912 (Nelva and V. Faroult); Bou Saada, April— May 1912 (V. Faroult); Oran, April 1913 (W. R. and E. H.) ; Sidi-bel-Abbes, May 1918 (M. Rotrou) ; Ain Sefra, May 1913 (W. R. and E. H.); Foret de Tenira, June 1918 (P. Rotrou) ; Sebdou, May 1918 (P. Rotrou) ; Titen Yaya, May 1915 (M. Rotrou) ; Messer, September 1917 (M. Rotrou) ; Am Draham, August— September 1911 (V. Faroult); Environs de Setif, 1911 (V. Faroult); El Mahouna, September 1919 (V. Faroult). 12 NOTITATES ZOOLOQICAE XXVII. 1920. 39. Cirphis riparia (Ramb.). Leucania riparia Rambur, Ann. Soc. Obs. 1829. p. 261. pi. 6. f. 6. I have 8 Mauretanian examples of this species from Moroccan Frontier ; 15 km. west of Lalla Marnia, May 1914 (V. Faroult) ; A'in Sefra, May 1915 (V. Faroult) ; Batna (Nelva coll.) ; Sidi-bel-Abbes, September 1917 (M. Rotrou). Not recorded by Mr. Oberthiir. 40. Cirphis zeae (Dup.). Noctva zeae Duponchel, Lipid. France. T. vii. {Noel. vol. 4. pt. 1) p. 363. pi. 122. f. 4 (1827) (France). This species is not mentioned by Mr. Oberthiir. The Mauretanian series at Tring consists of 13 specimens from Sidi-bel-Abbes, August— October 1917 (M. Rotrou) ; and 1 $ Foret de Tenira, August 1918 (P. Rotrou). 41. Cirphis unipuncta (Haw.). Noctva unipuncta Haworth, Lipid. Brit. p. 174 (1809) (Great Britain). This is also not mentioned by Mr. Oberthiir. 1 (J Am Draham, August 1911 (V. Faroult); 1 ? Sidi-bel-Abbes, October 1917 (M. Rotrou). 42. Leucania obsoleta (Hiibn.). Noctua ohsolcta Hiibner, Samml. Europ. Schmett. Noct. i. 233 (1827). Mr. Oberthiir has not recorded this species. 1 $ Batna, July 1912 (Nelva coll.). 43. Sesamia vuteria (Stoll). Phalaena vuteria Stoll, Suppl. Cram. Pap. Exot. p. 161. pi. 36. f. 5 (1783) (Cape Colony). Mr. Oberthiir records this species under Lefebre's name of nonagrioides, the date of which is 1827. I have received only females of vuteria. We have at Tring 10 $$ from Sidi-bel-Abbes, May— September 1917-1918 (M. Rotrou) ; Sebdou and Foret de Tenira, September 1918 (P. Rotrou) ; Blida, March 1916 (V. Faroult) ; Oued Hamidou, June 1912 (V. Faroult). In the British Museum are 1 (J, 1 $ Algeria, Mrs. Nicholl and Leech coll. ; 1 $ Hammam-es-Salahin, March 1904, Lord Walsingham. 44. Sesamia cretica Led. Sesamia cretica Leilerer, Noct. Europ. p. 225 (1857) (Crete). Mr. Oberthiir only records by name 2 species, but throws out a hint that Staudinger's var. et ab. striata is probably a distinct species ; my series not only shows this to be the case, but I have also a fourth species calamistis Hmpsn. I only have 8 typical cretica. 1 35 $$ Am Draham, August — September 1911 (V. Faroult). 68. Athetis casearia (Stdgr.). Caradrina casearia Staudinger, Iris, vol. xii. p. 375. pi. 5. f. 1 (1899) (Jordan Valley). I have not received typical casearia or the ab. bilineata Culot. 69. Athetis pertinax inumbrata (Stdgr.). Agrotis inumbrata Staudinger, Iris, vol. xii. p. 363 (1899) (Zeitun). Victor Faroult sent me 2 1911 (V. Faroult) ; Bou Saada March 1912, Laghouat March 1912 (V. Faroult) ; El Ou Saya August 1918, Tilghemt April 1912 (V. Faroult) ; Biskra, March- April 1908-1911 (W. R. andE. H.) ; Batna (Nelva and Faroult) ; Oued Hamidou, June 1912 (V. Faroult) ; South Oued Mya April, Bordj Saada February 1912 (Hartert and Hilgert) ; Rabat, Morocco (A. Thery) ; Environs de Batna (A. Nelva); Messer, September 1917 (M. Rotrou); Blida, November 1915 (V. Faroult) ; Hammam R'hira, May —June 19C8-1916 (W. R. and K. J., and Faroult) ; Mazagan February— May 1902-1903, Seksawa, Morocco April 1905 (W. Riggen- bach) ; Environs d' Alger, May 1908 (W. R. and K. J.). In the British Museum are 2 $$, 1 $ Hammam-es-Salahin, March 1904, Lord Walsingham. [Euxoa spinifera hodnae (Oberth.). (PI. XVII. ff. 15, 16.) Agrotis hodnae Oberthiir, Etud. Entom. faac. iii. p. 45. pi. v. f. 8 (1878) (Bou Saada). The large series of spinifera collected all over Algeria since 1878 have proved that in Mauretania hodnae is only a sporadic aberration of spinifera, but in Egypt it has developed into the local race and must stand as a subspecies as above.] Novitates Zoolooicae XXVII. 1920. 27 104. Euxoa hoggari sp. nov. (PI. XVII. ff. 12-14.) This is the insect erroneously named hodnae in 1915 (see Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (8) xvi. p. 250. No. (16).). cJ$. Ground-colour creamy white. Antennae brown with pale grey serra- tions ; head and thorax whitish, more or less closely sprinkled with minute brown streaks ; abdomen cream buff ; anal tuft buff. Forewing cream- white, here and there streaked with pale wood brown, basal one-sixth of costal area with dense dark brown markings, a brown wedge in cell, reniform and spot below dark brown, a pale wood brown irregular band across wing enclosing reniform, an oval stigma on vein 2 joined by a deeply zigzag blackish line to inner margin, fringe white, a marginal line of dark dots and 2 black arrow heads above veins 5 and 6. Hindwing white washed with cream, cream- buff on abdominal area ; some specimens are strongly suffused with brown all over. Length of forewing, $ 15-19 mm. ; expanse, 35-43 mm. Length of forewing, 5 16-22 mm. ; expanse, 37-50 mm. Habitat. 5 $<$, 7 ?? Oued Abou January, Oued Ag'elil March, Oued Tamoudat March, 20 kil. N. of Ideles March 1914, N. of the Hoggar Mts., Sahara (Geyr von Schweppenburg) ; Bordj Chegga, February 1912 (Hartert and Hilgert). 105. Euxoa doufanae (Oberth.). Agrotis doufanae Oberthiir, Etud. Lipid. Camp, fasc. xvi. p. 90. pi. xdii. ff. 4072-4073 (1919) (Col de Doufana Aures). I have received 80 specimens of this rare species. 1 <$ Ain Sefra, May 1913 (W. R. and E. H.) ; 1 ? Mecheria May 1918, 1 c? El Hamel May 1912 (Victor Faroult) ; 57 J<$, 1 ? Bou Saada May, 14 $$, 5 $$ Guelt-es-Stel May — June 1915 (V. Faroult). This was wrongly identified by me in 1914 as mauretanica. 1C6. Agrotis suffusa (Schiff. & Den.). Phalaena suffusa Schiffermuller and Denis, Ank. Syst. Work. Schmett. Wienergeg. p. 80 (1775) (Vienna). Noctua ypsilon Rottemburg, Nalurj. vol. ix. p. 141 (1770). This widely spread insect occurs all over Mauretania. We have 311 speci- mens from Mauretania from Guelt-es-Stel, April, May, October 1913 (V. Faroult) ; Timassinin January, I-n-kelemet February, 30 kil. N. of Amgid February, Amgid February, Ain Tahart February, Oued Ag'elil March, 20 kil. N. of Ideles March 1914, north of the Hoggar Mts., Sahara (Geyr von Schweppenburg) ; Sebdou, September 1918 (P. Rotrou) ; Oued Nca, April 1914 (Hartert and Hilgert) ; Environs de Batna, 1911-1914 (Nelva coll.) ; Biskra, March— April 1908-1911 (W. R. and E. H.) ; Colomb Bechar February, Tilghemt April 1912 (V. Faroult) ; Oran, April 1913 (W. R. and E. H.) ; Bou Saada April, Bordj-ben-Aneridj October 1912 (V. Faroult) ; Sidi-bel- Abbes, September— October 1917 (M. Rotrou); Ain Draham August— September 1911, Aflou October 1915, Ham- mam R'hira, May 1916 (V. Faroult). 28 Novitates Zoolooicae XXVII. 1920. lo7. Lycophotia margaritosa (Haw.). Xochta margaritosa Haworth, Lepid. Bril. p. 218 (1809). Mr. Oberthiir quotes Engramelle as the author, but Ernst and Engramelle when describing species not yet described only gave French names to their insects, and therefore they are quite inadmissible as authors, and the names given to their species by Hiibner and others must be quoted under their respective authors. As, however, that part of Hiibner containing his saucia was published in 1827 and Haworth's margaritosa in 1809, this latter name must be used for the present species. Although fairly widespread in Mauretania, it is much rarer than the last. We have 86 specimens from Ai'n Draham, August — September 1911 (V. Faroult) ; Oued Hamidou, June 1912 (V. Faroult) ; Hammam R'hira, May — June 1908-1917 (V. Faroult, and W. R. and K. J.) ; Guelt-es-Stel, May— October 1913 (V. Faroult) ; Sidi-bel- Abbes, September 1917 (M. Rotrou) ; Biskra March 1909, El Kantara May 1909 (W. R. and E. H.) ; Blida les Glacieres, May 1905— June 1908 (W. R., K. J., and Dr. Nissen) ; Environs d' Alger, May— June 1906- 1912 (W. R. and K. J. and Dr. Nissen) ; Mazagan, Morocco, January — June 1900-1903 (W. Riggenbach); Bou Saada April 1911, Djebel Aissa May 1915 (V. Faroult) ; Environs de Batna (Nelva coll.) ; Tlemcen, August 1917 (M. Rotrou). 108. Euxoa trux trux (Hiibn.). Noctua trux Hiibner, Samml. Eur. Schmett. A'ocf. ff. 723, 725, 770 (1S26). This is a very variable insect, the aberrations terranea Frey, amasina and olivina Stdgr. occur in Mauretania quite abundantly. The subspecies lunigera Steph. appears to be confined to Great Britain. Our series from Mauretania consists of 562 specimens from Guelt-es-Stel, September — October 1919 (V. Faroult); Aflou, September 1916; Ai'n Sefra July 1915, Perregaux October 1915 (V. Faroult) ; Sidi-bel-Abbes September 1917, Les Pins June 1918 (M. Rotrou); Lambessa October 1915, Batna 1909-1915 (A. Nelva coll.); Hammam R'hira July 1916, Mecheria May 1918 (V. Faroult); Sebdou July, Foret de Tenira September 1918 (P. Rotrou); El Mahouna, September 1919 (V. Faroult). In the British Museum, 2 33 Batna, Staudinger and Bang-Haas. 109. Euxoa segetum (Schiff. and Den.). Phalaena segeium Schiffermiiller and Denis, Ank. Syst. Werk. Schmett. Wienergeg. pp. 81, 252. ff. 3 a. h. (1775) (Vienna). Our Mauretanian series of this common insect numbers 764 specimens from Guelt-es-Stel May— November 1912-1913, Aflou October 1916 'V. Faroult) ; Colomb-Bechar March, April 1912, Bou Saada April 1912, Tilghemt April 1912 (V. Faroult); Mazagan, Morocco, Imitanaut, May— July 1900-1904 (W. Riggenbach); Khenchela, May 1912 (W. R. and K. J.); Jakouren Kabylie June 1909, El Kantara March 19C9 (W. R. and E. H.) ; Batna, June—July 1912- 1915 (Nelva coll.) ; Ain Draham, July — September 1911 (V. Faroult) ; Hammam R'hira, July 1916 (V. Faroult) ; Sidi-bel-Abbes, September— October 1917 (M. Novitates Zoolooicae XXVII. 1920. 29 Rotrou) ; Lambessa, 1912 (Nelva coll.) ; Alger, January 1914 (V. Faroult) ; Djebel Antar, May 1918 (Faroult) ; Biskra, March— April 1908, 1914 (W. R. and E. H.) ; Setil, S. of Biskra, March 1917 (V. Faroult) ; Djebel Zaccar Miliana, June — August 1916 (V. Faroult) ; Bordj-ben-Aneridj October, Tilghemt April 1912 (V. Faroult) ; Laghouat, March 1912 (V. Faroult) ; Ideles Haggar Mts., March 1914 (Geyr von Schweppenburg) ; Sebdou, July 1918 (P. Rotrou). In British Museum, 1 ab. griseola Rothsch., 2 <$£, 2 $$ ab. castanea Rothsch., and 1 $ dark grey entirely suffused with vinous red which I name ab. griseovinosa ab. nov. 7 cJcJ Environs de Batna, 1911-1914 (Nelva coll.) ; 3 $$, 5 ?$ Guelt-es-Stel, October — November 1912-1913 (V. Faroult). I have not any of the ab. vinosa Oberth. 38 Novitates Zoolooicae XXVII. 1920. 147. Monima stabilis (Schiff. & Den.). Phalaena stabilis Schiffermiiller and Denis. Ank. Sijst. Werk. Schmeit. Wienergeg. p. 76 (1775) (Vienna). I have only 1 Algerian specimen of this species, which appears to be very rare in Mauretania. 1 $ Environs d' Alger, March 30th, 1911 (W. R. and E. H.). | Monima cruda (Schiff. & Den.). Phalaena cruda Schiffermiiller and Denis, Ank. Syst. Werk. Schmeit. Wienergeg. p. 77 (1775) (Vienna). I have no Mauretanian examples of this species. Mr. Oberthiir records it from Lambessa.] 148. Amathes ruticilla (Esp.). Noctua ruticilla Esper, Schmetl. pt. iv. vol. ii. p. 525. No. 220. pi. clvii. (Noct. 78) f. 1. (1791) (Florence). I have received very few of this species. 6 cJ(J, 4 ?$ Environs de Batna, 1913-1914 (Nelva coll.). 149. Amathes lychnidis (Schiff. & Den.). Phalaena lychnidis Schiffermiiller and Denis, Ank. Syst. Werk. Schmett. Wienergeg. p. 76 (1775) (Vienna). Phalaena pistacina Schiffermiiller and T)enis,Ank.Syst. Werk. Schmett. Wienergeg. p. 77 (1775) (Vienna). I have 29 Mauretanian specimens from Environs de Batna, 1910-1914 (A. Nelva and V. Faroult) ; Hammam R'hira, February — .June 1918 (V. Faroult) ; Sidi-bel-Abbes, June 1918 (M. Rotrou) ; Environs d' Alger, January 1911 (W. R. and E. H.) ; Blida, December 1915 (Faroult). 1 specimen is ab. coernlescens Calb. 150. Amathes lota (Linn.) Phalaena lota Linnaeus, Syst. Nat. edit. x. p. 513 (1758). Of this species the Mauretanian examples at Tring number 19 from Batna. 12 <$<$, 5 ?9 Environs de Batna, October 1910-1914 (A. Nelva and V. Faroult) ; 1 cJ Blida February 1916, 1 ? Aflou October 1916 (V. Faroult). 151. Amathes macilenta (Haw.). Noctua macilenta Haworth, Lepid. Brit. p. 239 (1809). I have received 1 specimen of this species. 1 ? Aflou, October 21st, 1916 (V. Faroult). 152. Sidemia fissipuncta oberthuri subsp. nov. This is the insect Mr. Oberthiir has treated of as Orthosia ypsilon Schiff., but ypsilon Schiff. being preoccupied by ypsilon Rott., Haworth's name fissijmncta is the correct appellation. I have it treated as a subspecies at present, but believe it will prove a distinct species. Mr. Oberthiir says that the Algerian form appears to be very pale in colour and have the pattern much effaced ; but that he has too few specimens to confirm this. NOVTTATES ZOOLOOIOAE XXVII. 1920. 39 The series from Algeria at Tring consists of 63 specimens, 20 from East Algeria and 43 from West Algeria, and they are very distinct from European and British examples. Batna, Staudinger and Bang-Haas. Novitates Zoolooicae XXVII. 1920. 41 158. Cymatophora algirica (Culot). Cirrhoedia algirica Culot, Noel, et Gkom. d"Eur. pt. i. vol. ii. p. 76. pi. 53. f. 1. (1914) (Lambessa). I have of this Mauretanian species 46 specimens — viz. 25 Sidi-bel-Abbes, October 1917 (M. Rotrou) ; 1 (J Batna (Staudinger) ; 19 Foret de Tenira Octo- ber, 1 Sebdou September 1918 (P. Rotrou). The latter specimen was sent out as Cirrh. pallida var. ; pallida Stdgr. is quite a different insect from Asia Minor and has pure white hindwings. [Enargia ulicis Stdgr. and its allies. Mr. Oberthiir makes all the forms of Enargia, occurring in Algeria, forms of one species, ulicis Stdgr. Sir George Hampson, on the other hand, makes them out to be 3 good species. It is very difficult to decide this question, because it is complicated by the occurrence of 3 distinct colour groups in each form : (1) Yellowish ochre grey = ab. griseo-olivacea Culot. (Form 2) Salmon to deep brick-red = ab. rufa Culot. (Form 3) Brown to black-brown = ab. brunnea Culot. I consider therefore my series too small to decide these points, and shall for the present follow Sir George Hampson and treat them as 3 species.] 159. Enargia ulicis (Stdgr.). Cosmia ulicis Staudinger, Stett. EnUmi. Zeit. 1859. p. 214 (Granada). 1 2 from Guelt-es-Stel (V. Faroult) ; 2 JJ, 6 22 El Mahouna, September 1919 (V. Faroult). 160. Enargia regina (Stdgr.). Cosmia regina Staudinger, Iris, vol. iv. p. 297. pi. 4. f. 2 (1892) (Asia Minor). 1 have 1 2 very large and typical from Ain Draham, September 1911 (V. Faroult). The British Museum has 1 $ Le Tarf, D. Lucas. 161. Enargia algirica Culot. Enargia algirica Culot, Noct. et Giom. a" Eur. p. 73. pi. 52. ff. 9, 10 (f. 8 appears to be an aberrant regina) (August 1914) (Lambessa). Amathes rufescentior Rothschild, Novit. Zool. vol. xxi. p. 331. No. 163 (October 1914) (Guelt-es-Stel). The Tring series consists of 20 <$<$, 18 $2 : 3 $<$ Batna, September 1913 (Nelva coll.) ; 1 2 Lambessa, 1912 (Nelva coll.) ; 15 (J 4 $$ Batna 1909 (A. Nelva coll.) ; 1 Hammam-es-Salahin, March — April 1904, Lord Walsingham. 260. Rabinopteryx Batna, August 1910, E. A. Eaton ; 1 Tozeur, Tunisia, 1913, G. C. Champion ; 1 $ Tangier, Leech coll. 309. Eublemma deserti (Rothsch.). (PI. XVI. f. 26.) Thalpocluires deserti Rothschild, Entom. Zeit. Stuttgart, vol. xxiii. p. 142 (1909) (Mraier). This very rare species at first sight looks like a minute washed-out parva, but in reality it belongs to a different section of the genus. 2 Hammam- es-Salahin, March — May 1903-1904, Lord Walsingham. 354. Autophila ligaminosa (Eversm.). Spintherops ligaminosa Eversniann, Bull. Soc. Imp. Nat. Mosc. 1851. p. 630 (Georgia and Armenia). This was taken by Mr. Oberthur to be typical cataphunes. Sir George Hampson considers it a distinct species. 6 cfcj, 9 $$ Sebdou, August 1918 (P. Rotrou) ; 1 ? Environs de Batna (Nelva) ; 1 $ Sidi-bel-Abbes, June 1916 (M. Rotrou) ; 1 . 370. Anumeta spatzi Rothsch. (PI. XVI. ff. 11, 12.) Anumeta spatzi Rothschild, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (8) xvi. p. 257. No. 51 (1915) (Amgid). Of this fine species the Tring series contains 11 specimens from Amgid, Tahihout, Ain Taiba, April — May 1914 (Geyr von Schweppenburg). 371. Anumeta major Rothsch. (PI. XVI. ff. 13, 14.) Anumeta major Rothschild, Novit. Zool. vol. xx. p. 130. No. 79 (1913) (N. of El Golea). In my article on Herr Geyr von Schweppenburg's collection (see above) I recorded 2 <$<$ and 1 $ as being major. On closer examination I find all 3 speci- mens from Ain Taiba are $3. 1 ? north of El Golea, May 1912 (Hartert and Hilgert) ; 3 $ Ain Draham, July 1911. 12. Catocala nympJiagoga vallantini (Oberth.), 1 $ Sebdou, 17.7.1918. 13-15 & 17-24. Catocala nymphagoga vallantini (Oberth.), series of 6 q£, 5 $$ Ain Draham, July 1911, showing all intergradations from typical C. n. vallantini to form with central band on hindwing and sharp pattern on fore wing. 10 & 16. C. nymphagoga vallantini ab. griseola Warr., $ $ Ain Draham, July 1911. 25. C. nymphagoga nymphagoga Esp., I»I.V EXPLANATION OF PLATE XVII. Nos. 1. Antitype hagar Rothsch., . Diet. d'Hist.Nat. xxxiv. p. 46.5(1819 — West Indian Islands or southern U.S.). (Erolia maculata is the correct name for the "Pectoral Sandpiper," often called " Tringa pectoralis.") cJ?, Bering Island, 6, 10, 18. ix. 1911. Though only once recorded from the Commander Islands, byButurlin, 1913, it is not unexpected that this species passes through on migration. Where these birds winter is not yet known ; American examples migrate as far south as Peru, Chile, and Argentina. 138 Novitates Zoolooicae XXVII. 1920. 48. Erolia temminckii (Leisl.). 2 2 ad., Bering Island, 26, 29. v. 1912. Somewhat rare on passage. 49. Erolia subminuta (Midd.). 4 adult specimens, Bering Island, March, May, July ; Copper Island, 25. v. 1912. According to Stejneger mainly on passage, but a few stay over the summer, probably breeding. Bianchi, in fact, gives it as breeding, probably from notes by SokoLnikoff. 50. Erolia ruficollis (Pall.). 3$ ad., Bering Island, 25. v. 1914, 25. v. 1915, 25. vi. 1914. According to Stejneger only on migration, but the late date in June suggests the possibility of its nesting. 51. Erolia alpina sakhalina (Vieill.). ad., both islands, 25. v to 26. vi. and 3 juv. 31 .viii to S.ix. Stejneger secured only two specimens on Bering Island. 65. Phalaropus fulicarius (L.). 5 , Bering Island, 10. vi. 1915. Not hitherto recorded. 111. Buteo lagopus pallidus (Menzb.). 4 (J$ ad., Bering Island, 15. v. to 8.vi. These birds are very typical pallidus. The upperside shows much more white than European specimens, sharply contrasted with brown, but without any grey. Also the underside is not cream-colour but white, with the usual brown markings, as a rule, more restricted. Wings, (J 43-5-44-5, "§" (?) only 42-5 mm. 150 Novitates Zoolooicae XXYII. 1920. 112. Haliaeetus pelagicus (Pall.). cJ jun., approaching adult dress, Bering Island, 18.iii. Only an occasional visitor, according to Stejneger. (" H. hypoleucus" still mentioned as a species in Bianchi's list, is a variety of H. albicilla. Neither the latter nor leucocephalos was obtained by Sokolnikofi . ) 113. Pandion haliaetus haliaetus (L.). c? ad., Bering Island, 28.vii.1913. $ ad., Copper Island, 23. vi. 1913. These specimens have only an indicated brown breast band, like P. h. carolinensis, but similar specimens occur in Europe. The short wings (about 460, but worn, and 470 mm.) prove them to belong to the European — Asiatic form. Stejneger quotes this Osprey as an occasional visitor to Bering Island only. He obtained specimens on Kamtchatka only. 114. Nyctea nyctea (L.). cJ ad., Bering Island, 31 . vii . 1914. Upperside white, with the exception of a few small spots on scapulars and primaries, and a few bars on the secondaries ; in moult, growing secondaries with black bar. $ ad., Bering Island, 6. v. 1912. Above and below with brown-black bars. 12 cJ$, Bering Island, September 2nd to April 2nd, but mostly December and January, varying from the darkest form with broad blackish bars to white with a few scattered spots and bars. It is a popular idea that these (and other) birds become whiter with age, but there is apparently no foundation for it. (No specimen of Asio jlammeus (Pontopp.) (accipitrinus auct.) was sent by Sokolnikoff, though Stejneger found it resident on both islands.) 115. Aegolius funereus magnus (But.). [Striz funerea Linn., Syst. Nat. i. 1. p. 93 (1758—" Habitat in Europa").] Nyctala magna Buturlin, Orn. Monatsber. 1907. p. 80 (" Kamtschatka und das Gebiet von Kolymsk "). cj ad., Bering Island, 31. i. 1911. I suppose this must be Ae. f. magnus, of which I saw the type twelve years ago, but I have no specimens of either magnus or jakutorum, if the latter is different. The Bering Island specimen has more white on the upperside and is larger than Ae. f. funereus. Its wings measure 179 to 180 mm. The species is new to the islands. 116. Cnculus canorus telephonus Heine. c? ad., Bering Island, 25. vi. 1914. Wing 221. $ ad., Bering Island, 19. vi. 1915. Wing 204 only. Novitates Zoolooicae XXVII. 1920. 151 $ ad., Bering Island, 26. v. 1914. Wing 207 only. " <5 " (?)» apparently a last year's bird, Bering Island, 11 .vi. 1915. The females are of the usual grey colour. 117. Cuculus optatus Gould. cJ ad., Copper Island, 5.vi.l911. 9 ad., Bering Island, 15.vi.1912. Grey variety. $ ad., Bering Island, September. Red-barred variety. In C. optatus the latter is very common. 118. Dryobates major kamtschaticus (Dyb.). (Stejneger rejected the name kamtschaticus because of the former existence of a " kamtscJtatkensis " ; both names are, however, easily distinguished and cannot be considered to be synonyms. Stejneger' s " purus" is therefore a synonym of kamtschaticus. In practice both names are also widely different, the one being a subspecies of major, the other of minor ! ) cJcJ ad., Bering Island, 17. v. 1913 and 17.x. 1912 ; $ ad., 19.x. 1912. These are very typical ; wings 134, 140, and 135-5 mm. Two of these are smaller than those measured when I wrote my account in Vog. pal. Fauna, p. 907. D. m. tscherskii (p. 908) is exceedingly close to kamtschaticus, only the wings are generally (not always) shorter, and the bills less powerful and often shorter. The lateral tail-feathers of tscherskii have also, as a rule, more black than in kamtschaticus, but sometimes appear not to be different in this respect. Woodpeckers are, of course, only occasional visitors on Bering Island, where there are no forests, so that it cannot be a real Woodpecker home. 119. Alauda arvensis pekinensis Swinh. Alauda pekinensis Swinhoe, Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1863, p. 09 (Peking). Alauda blakistoni Stejneger 1884, 1892. c??$, Bering Island, 9. v. 1912, 29. v. 1913. According to Stejneger, " apparently a regular summer visitor to Bering Island, where a few pairs probably breed." 120. Anthus gustavi Swinh. Anthus gustavi Swinhoe, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1863, p. 90 (Amoy). Anthus stejnegeri Ridgway, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1883, p. 95 (Bering Island). 6 cj$ ad., both islands, all shot in June. A common breeder on the islands, not arriving before the end of May (Stejneger). 121. Anthus cervinus (Pall.). 3 " in worn plumage and dirty, obtained on Bering Island 5.vi.l912. Parrot described a Muscicapa griseisticta habereri from Iturup, Kurile Islands, because it had — a single specimen ! — a wing of 90 mm. That is indeed an exceptional measurement, but our Bering Island bird has a wing of fully 88 ! It is of course possible that a larger form exists, but that could only be proved by a series from its nesting-place. (No specimen of Muscicapa sibirica is in the collection of which Stejneger said it was " exceedingly numerous." Probably that is the case in certain years, but not always.) 130. Bombycilla garrulus (L.). c? ad., Bering Island, 16. v. 1911. $ ad., Copper Island, 21. v. 1911. A rare visitor. Stejneger mentions only two specimens. 131. Troglodytes troglodytes pallescens (Ridgw.). cj ad., Bering Island, 5.x. 1911. 1 (J ad., 1 juv., Copper Island, 18.x., 19. viii. 1911. Resident on both islands, but commoner on Copper Island, according to Stejneger. 132. Locustella ochotensis (Midd.). Acrocephalus ochotensis apud Stejneger. c?$ ad., Copper Island, 12, 14. vi. 1911. $ ad., Bering Island, 2.vii.l913. c$ juv., Bering Island, 2.x. 1911. The young bird has the underside yellowish, and evidently no white tips to tbe rectrices, though very dirty. 154 Novitates Zoolooicae XXVII. 1920. 133. Phylloscopus borealis borealis (Bias.). 2 ad., Bering and Copper Islands, 6.vi.l914, 16.x. 1911. Visits the islands regularly in spring, and Stejneger thinks it is possible that some may remain to breed. (The treeless islands seem to me a most unlikely place for a Phylloscopus to nest.) 134. Turdus fuscatus Pall. Turdus /meatus Pallas, Zoogr. Rosso-Asiat. i. p. 451 (1827 — Dauria). 9 ad., Bering Island, 20. v. 1911. cJ ad., Copper Island, 19. v. 1911. Stejneger quoted the occurrence of a single specimen, under the name of Turdus eunomus. 135. Turdus obscurus Gm. J$ ad., Bering Island, 26, 27. v. 1914. cJ ad., Copper Island, 18. v. 1911. " Visits Bering Island occasionally during the spring migration " (Stejneger)> 136. Tarsiger cyanurus (Pall.). 6 (J? ad., Bering Island, 28. v to 4.vi.l912, 1914, 1916. 9 ad., Copper Island, 31. v. 1911. Stejneger obtained a single straggler, 21. v. 1883. 137. Luscinia calliope (Pall.). 5 cJ $, Bering Island. 27 . v. to 1 6 . vi . 3 c?> Copper Island, 3.vi. to 21. vi. Sokolnikoff evidently found these "occasional visitors" more numerous than Stejneger, and probably they pass over the islands fairly regularly in spring. 138. Oenanthe oenanthe oenanthe (L.). Motacilla Oenanthe Linnaeus, Syst. Nat. ed. x. i. p. 1S6 (1758— Europa, terra typica : Sweden). 9 juv., Bering Island, 23. ix. 1915. cJ juv., Copper Island, 2.ix.l912. Not in Stejneger's and Bianchi's lists. Apparently a rare passage migrant. 139. Riparia riparia ijimae (Lonnb.). Clivicola riparia ijimae Lonnberg, Journ. Coll. Science Tokyo, xxiii. art. 14. p. 38 ( 1908 — Sachalin) ; Hartert, Vog. pal. Fauna, p. 813. 1 ad., sex doubtful, Copper Island, 20. vi. 1911. Bianchi had it from Bering and Buturlin from Copper Island. (Hirundo rustica tytleri is an occasional straggler, but was not obtained by Sokolnikoff.) Novitates Zoolooioae XXVII. 1920. 166 140. Emberiza aureola Pall. 2 cJ, 1 ?, Bering Island, 2, 4.vi.l914. Occasional visitor during spring migration, according to Stejneger. 141. Emberiza rustica Pall. 1 cj, 2 ?, Bering Island, 12. v to 27. v. 2 J, 2 9, Copper Island, 16. v to 21 .v. Occasional visitor during spring migration, according to Stejneger. (Emberiza variabilis Temm. & Schleg. has occasionally occurred, but we did not receive specimens.) 142. Calcarius lapponicus coloratus Ridgw. Calcarius lapponicus coloratus Ridgway, Auk, xv. p. 320 (1898 — Type: Copper Island). 2 r? ad., 2 $ ad., 1 juv. in first plumage, Copper Island, May and June, the young bird 16. v. 1911. 1 (J ad., 2 $ ad., Copper Island, May and June. The date of the young bird, just out of nest, is, if correct, very early. Stejneger did not notice the species earlier than April 21st, and found eggs from May 23rd to June 11th. The commonest breeding bird on both islands. C. I. coloratus differs from C . I. lapponicus in being larger, bill larger, wings longer, 95-5-104-5 mm., and the secondaries and upper wing-coverty of the males have wider rust-brown edges ; the $ has the neck-band, as a rule, more marked and less thickly spotted. 143. Plectrophenax nivalis townsendi Ridgw. Plectrophenax nivalis townsendi Ridgway, Manual N. Amer. B. p. 403 (" Prybilof Islands, Alaska, and Commander Islands, Kamtschatka." Type : Otter Island in the Pribilof group). 6 <: Fig. 7. — Libyoclanis metria, <$ ; anal sternite. Fig. 8. — Xenosphingia jansei, q ; head from below. NOVITATES ZOOLOGICAE XXVII. 1920. 169 denticulate and bearing a hair on the ventral side ; the corresponding lobes of L. vicina small, with the teeth vestigial. Harpe as in L. vicina, but slightly broader at the apex. Xenosphingia gen. nov. Generi Ceridia R. & J. (1903) dicto affinis ; antennis fortissime pectinatis, palporum articulo tertio longissimo tcnui subcylindrico ad latus versus proiecto ; rostro nullo ; tibiis anticis et mediis spinosis, antica brevi, sine calcareo, postica duobus calcareis apicalibus armata. Genotypus : X. jansei spec. nov. A very strange genus, which shares with Ceridia the long-pectinated antenna, reduced foretibia, aborted proboscis, etc., but differs remarkably in the absence of the foretibial spur and in the length of the third segment of the labial palpus. Antenna (<3) reaching beyond apex of cell of forewing. bipectinate from base to tip, the branches of the central segments 15 mm. long, all scaled to the apex, shaft setiform in dorsal aspect, ventrally each segment dilated into a slightly claviform process which projects downward and is longer than a segment, with the exception of the processes of the proximal segments, of which the processes are short. Palpus : first segment short, rough with long hair-scales ; second long, flattened laterally, and here as well as at apex smooth-scaled, apex curved side- ways ; third as long as second, smooth, slender, rod-like, nearly cylindrical, directed laterad ; joint between first and second open ventrally (text-fig. 8). Abdomen without spines. Foretibia about one-third shorter than first tarsal segment, broad, without epiphysis, spinose on upperside, four apical spines long, the two central ones of them the longest. Midtibia spinose, a little longer than the first tarsal segment. Hindtibia without spines, half as long again as the first hindtarsal segment, with one pair of spurs, longer spur twice as long as the tibia is broad before apex. All the tibiae and tarsi smooth. Pulvillus and paronychium present, the latter with one fringed lobe on each side. Wings entire ; frenulum and retinaculum present. Forewing : SC 2 nearer to SC 1 than to apex of cell ; stalk of subcostal fork short. Hindwing : SC 2 and R l together from upper angle of cell, D 1 distinctly curved, not quite twice the length of D' = D 1 , lower cell-angle about 90°, not produced. 3. Xenosphingia jansei spec. nov. (text-fig. 8). cJ. Viridis, antennis albis ramis anticis purpureo-squamosis, pedibus ex parte purpureis, alis anticis margine costali albato, posticis pallidioribus. Al. ant. long. 18 mm., lat. 9 mm. Hab. Sawmills, Rhodesia, 2. ii. 1918 (A. J. T. Janse) ; 1 20. 18 (22). MEALY REDPOLL. Carduelis linaria linaria (L.). Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 137. Must occur as irregular and rare winter visitor. As the Mealy Redpoll is known to visit the Thames Valley, and one has been taken near Ivinghoe, in Herts., close to the Bucks, boundary, there is no doubt that it occasionally visits our county. 19 (23). LESSER REDPOLL. Carduelis linaria cabaret (P. L. S. Mull.). B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 110. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 137. Winter visitor, but also breeds locally in small numbers. Kennedy only records this species as a winter visitor from about the end of November onwards, and never very common. Hartert on several occasions has noted small flocks in autumn and winter, and there are several specimens in the Tring Museum from Aston Clinton, near Tring, caught in October and November. Twenty-eight years ago Lord Rothschild observed it several times on the "flats" near Champneys Park in summer, and Grossman has recorded breeding on Berkhamsted Common, close to the Bucks, boundary. C. Oldham {in litl.) states that he has seen a few pairs every summer about the Herts .-Bucks, boundary near Berkhamsted, and adds that he also saw one at Mentmore on June 15, 1913, " uttering its trilling song in flight." The only part of the county where breeding is known with certainty to have taken place is the Thames Valley between Shiplake and Wraysbury. Many scattered pairs used to haunt the various " rod beds " by the river, nesting in most cases on the Berks, side, and sometimes several nests might be found within quite a small area. The late Major F. W. Proctor found many nests in this district between 1905 and 1914; not only in willows, but also in thorns, furze bushes, and small trees at some little distance from the river. Mr. E. E. Pettitt gives details (in Hit.) of half a dozen Bucks, nests found by him in the same district between 1909 and 1916, but adds that after the severe winter of 1916-17 none were met with. 20 (27). LINNET. Carduelis cannabina cannabina (L.). B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 37. Viet. Hist, of Bucks, p. 137. Common resident. Common apparently everywhere. Very fond of nesting in gorse bushes, in which the nests may sometimes be found close to each other. 21 (30). BRITISH BULLFINCH. Pyrrhula pyrrhula pileata (MacGill). B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 37. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 137. Resident. The Bullfinch is common, though persecuted by gardeners on account of the damage caused by it to fruit-buds. NOVITATES ZOOLOGICAE XXVII. 1920. 179 22 (33). COMMON CROSSBILL. Loxia curvirostra curvirostra L. B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 111. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 137. Irregular summer and winter visitor, which apparently nests occasionally. Immigrations take place from time to time, often in great numbers, and birds may then stop for a year or so and possibly nest. In the old manuscript at Din ton Hall is an excellent figure of "ye Crossbill or Shellapple" which was shot there in 1782, with the following notes : " Is an inconstant visitor of this island and breeds in ye pine-forests of Germany and Switzerland ; it feeds on ye cones of those trees. It is a fact that it changes ye shades of its colour in different seasons of ye year from deep red to yellow and ye females which are greenish alter to different varieties of the same colour. Ten of these birds were shot and several others seen by ye Rev nd W. Goodall in ye Wilderness of Dinton Hall August 8 th ' 1791. They had been observed by the servants some weeks, tho' they mistook them for bull finches. Q >T had they bred there ? As some of ye males had not then gained their full j^lumage and one of ye females had not as yet a single yellow feather." It is, of course, well known now that the red plumage is that of the adult male, though peculiar ideas about the plumages of Crossbills prevail occasionally even now. Kennedy records occurrences at Drayton (about 1847), and also at Fulmer, Risborough, and Burnham Beeches, and mentions a hen bird seen near Eton in November 1867. More recently T. Marshall recorded this species in the Wycombe district in 1898 (Field, December 3, 1898, p. 897) ; while in December 1909 a flock of about thirty was seen at Fawley Court (H. Noble, Brit. Birds (mag.), vol. iii. p. 303). In March 1910 six were seen at Drayton Beauchamp (C. Oldham, i.e. p. 409), and several at Langley about the same time (H. Noble). A pair killed at Dinton, January 15, 1910, is in the County Museum (Edw. Hollis). The only definite record of breeding is that by Mr. R. Bulstrode (Brit. Birds (mag.), vol. vi. p. 60), who saw a flock of four or five birds near Gerrards Cross on March 27, 1910, and was shown a nest on April 1 which then contained four eggs. The young were still in the nest on April 23. 23 (37). CHAFFINCH. Fringilla coelebs coelebs L. B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 31. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 136. Resident, but numbers apparently augmented by immigrants in winter. Very common in all wooded parts of the county. Mr. A. Mayall found eight eggs in a nest near Burnham, from which six young were reared, in May 1919 (Brit. Birds, vol. xiii. p. 80). 24 (38). BRAMBLING. Fringilla montiMngilla L. B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 106. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 136. Winter visitor, sometimes in great numbers. The Brambling appears every winter, and has been observed from October to April, but generally between November and March. Numbers vary greatly, sometimes not many are observed, while in other years they are very numerous ; Hartert does not think that this depends on the severity of the winter — at least not in this country — but more on the amount of beech mast. From time to time 180 NOVITATES ZOOLOGICAE XXVII. 1920. enormous flights are observed. An influx of this kind took place in the winter of 1905-6, when the beech woods of the Chilterns swarmed with these birds, flocks of several hundreds being repeatedly seen. Considerable numbers were also present during the mild winter of 1919-20. 25 (40). HOUSE-SPARROW. Passer domesticus domesticus (L.). B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 33. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 136. Common resident. By far the most numerous of all birds in the county. One of the most obnoxious habits of this species is that of dispossessing the House-Martins of their homes. Sir. A. H. Cocks adduces some evidence that the Martins occasionally retaliate by killing the nestling Sparrows, but further evidence on the point is desirable (cf. Zool. 191G, p. 358). 26 (41). TREE-SPARROW. Passer montanus montanus (L.). B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 32. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 136. " A resident species, but noichere numerous and very local." The above words of Kennedy are still correct and well describe the status of this bird in Bucks. Kennedy reports a nest near Buckingham in a Sand- Martin's hole. He also mentions specimens killed near Datchet and Slough. From autumn to spring, however, Tree-Sparrows are common in the neighbour- hood of Wendover, Aston Clinton, Ivinghoe, where Oldham regularly observes them, usually feeding with House-Sparrows and Finches in farm-yards and stack- yards, and near Cheddington, but they are seldom seen in the summer. Mr. Oldham observed one near Cheddington May 10, 1908. Hartert has seen it near Aylesbury and Ovington. In the Thames Valley there are scattered colonies, which nest in the pollarded willows by the river-side, especially in the Maidenhead and Bray districts. Mr. Pettitt mentions a small colony at Horton. 27 (42). CORN-BUNTING. Emberiza calandra calandra L. B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 29. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 137. Resident, Not actually rare in the arable districts, but nowhere numerous, and not often noticed in winter. Kennedy (I.e.) says " it congregates in large numbers late in the autumn and is gregarious until the return of the spring." We have never seen large flocks in Bucks, or Herts. In the Thames Valley Mr. Pettitt notes it as breeding near Taplow, Slough, and the reservoirs on the Middlesex border. F. A. Monckton has recorded a case in which the song was heard in November near Eton {Field, November 14, 1908, p. 888). 28 (43). YELLOW BUNTING, or YELLOWHAMMER. Emberiza citaneUa citrinella L. B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 30. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 18. Resident. A common bird, but somewhat diminished in numbers since 1917. Mr. A. H. Cocks records a nest built in the side of a straw-rick, about 3 ft. 7 in. from the NOV1TATES ZOOLOGICAE XXVII. 1020. 181 ground at Skirmett (Zool. 1916, p. 352), but this is not a very infrequent occurrence. 29 (47). CIRL-BUNTING. Emberiza cirlus cirlus L. B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 176. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 138. Resident. The Cirl-Bunting breeds regularly in the Chiltern Hills district and neigh- bourhood. In winter it strays about, but apparently not usually very far from its breeding-grounds. The following are the localities from which we have evidence : Terriers End, near Tring (Chas. Oldham, evidently nesting) ; neigh- bourhood of Wendover (Hubert D. Astley, Oldham, Witherby, Hartert, nesting) ; Ashley Green, south of Berkhamsted, Coombe Hill, Chequers Court (Hubert I>. Astley, nesting) ; Drayton Beauchamp (4 . vi . 1864, nest found by H. H. Crewe, Field, 3 . xii. 1864, p. 384) ; Halton (skins of winter birds, eggs seen) ; Pitstone (caught in winter, H. H. Crewe) ; Ivinghoe (seen in winter, Hartert) ; downs between Princes Risborough and Wendover common, five males singing between Kimble and Wendover 4.vii.l910 (Chas. Oldham). In the Thames Valley it is of infrequent occurrence, but has been met with occasionally near Great Marlow. Mr. A. H. Cocks records one from Harleyford on January 26, 1884 (in lift.). The winter of 1917 has greatly diminished the number of Cirl-Buntings ; near Tring we have not heard or seen them since. 30 (53). REED-BUNTING. Emberiza schoeniclus schoeniclus L. B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 29. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 138. Resident, but breeding birds wander about in autumn. Not rare in suitable places on rivers and reservoirs. Breeds on the Tring and Halton Reservoirs, on the banks of the Thames, Colne, Chess, and Ouse, and in Stowe Park. In winter in small flocks, which haunt stack-yards and high- roads. Mr. E. E. Pettitt found a nest of this species in June 1905 at Wraysbury, which was placed in the crown of a pollarded willow ! He has also on two occasions met with Cuckoos' eggs in Reed-Buntings' nests in the county, both in 1908, in the Colne Valley. A very remarkable clutch of four eggs, pale blue without any markings, was taken by James Street at Mars worth Reservoir on May 9, 1910, and is now in the Tring Museum. 31 (56). SNOW-BUNTING. Plectrophenax nivalis (L.). Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 138. Winter visitor. Of somewhat rare and irregular occurrence in winter. The MS. in Dinton Hall mentions its occurrence there on January 8, 1776. Flocks have repeatedly been seen near Aston Clinton, and in 1895 near the Tring Reservoirs. On November 4, 1901, a male was shot at Drayton Lodge, Bucks., between Aston Clinton and Tring, by Mr. Henry Jenney. (February 22, 1894, another male was caught near Tring, between Tring and Aston Clinton, just in Herts.) Mr. C. H. Enison met with two on Ivinghoe Beacon on November 7, 1903 (Field, November 14, 1903, p. 844). 182 NOTITATES ZOOLOOICAE XXVII. 1920. 32 (61). WOODLARK. Lullula arborea arborea (L.). B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 29. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 139. Probably resident. Local and scarce. Observed in spring and summer near Fulmer, Beacons- field, Princes Risborough, Halton, and Chequers Court. 33 (62). SKYLARK. Alauda arvensis arvensis L. B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 27. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 139. Resident. Common on fields and meadows, from autumn to spring in flocks, which are probably partly composed of continental visitors. Breeds freely both in corn and grass land. An entirely buff- yellow variety was shot in December 1863 at Weston Turville (R. Tyrer, Zool. 1864, p. 8957). Such varieties are not rare and have been observed in many other places in England and elsewhere. 34 (67). TREE PIPIT. Anthus trivialis trivialis (L.). B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 8G. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 134. Summer resident. Not rare in wooded districts from April to September, but far from numerous in the Thames Valley, where, however, a few pairs may be found breeding in the Burnham and Taplow districts. 35 (68). MEADOW PIPIT. Anthus pratensis (L.) B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 27. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 134. Resident and winter visitor. Nests in lowland pastures : on the canal banks near the Tring Reservoirs, Halton, Aylesbury, Buckingham, Castlethorpe, Farnham Common, Burnham Beeches, and, according to Kennedy, near Eton. In winter and during migration periods in small flocks near the Reservoirs. In the Thames Valley it is best known as a winter visitor, only a few pairs remaining to breed. 36 (74). BLUE-HEADED WAGTAIL. Motacilla flava flava L. Once observed. " In a pasture bordering one of the reservoirs near Tring, on April 29, 1917, my sister-in-law detected a Wagtail differing in colour from the Ray's Wagtails with which it was consorting. As we looked down from the top of the reservoir embankment on the birds running to and fro in the short grass, it was an easy matter to distinguish the stranger by its blue-grey crown and nape, the con- spicuous whitish-buff superciliary stripe, the less distinct streak of the same colour through the ear-coverts, and the buff wing-bars. The upper parts and ear-coverts were greyish-brown, the breast and belly pale yellowish-buff passing into bright sulphur- yellow on the under tail-coverts. I cannot say positively to which subspecies of Motacilla flava the bird (a hen) belonged, but the blue- grey crown and the pale ear-coverts point to M. f. flava, the subspecies, apart from Novitates Zooloqicae XXVII. 1920. 183 M. j. rayi, most likely to occur" (Chas. Oldham, Brit. B. vol. xi. p. 20, 1917). There is also a female in the County Museum, found dying near Aylesbury, June 2, 1911 (Edwin Hollis, in litt.). 37 (79). YELLOW or RAY'S WAGTAIL. Motacilia flava rayi(Bp.). B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 85 (not 58). Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 134. Summer resident. Not a common bird, but more frequent in low-lying meadow land and in the neighbourhood of rivers, such as the Thames and Ouse. 38 (80). GREY WAGTAIL. Motacilia cinerea cinerea Tunst, B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 26. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 134. A breeding species in very small numbers in the Chess Valley, otherwise winter visitor, not common. The first mention of the breeding of this species in Bucks by John Gould occurs in Jardine's Contr. to Ornith. 1849, p. 137, and is repeated in his Birds of Great Britain, vol. iii. p. 49 (1873), where he states that for many years he has been aware of the breeding of the Grey Wagtail in the Chess Valley, and that when the Duke of Bedford " favoured him with a day's fishing," he found the nest on a wall of Mrs. Dodd's beautiful garden, where it always nested. Another pair also bred at Latimer, but in this case he did not find the nest. R. B. Sharpe, in his articles on the " Birds of Cookham," (Quart. Mag. High Wycombe Nat. Hist. Soc. vol. ii. p. 49, 1869), alludes to Gould's discovery of this nest in- a rose bush against the wall, and the fact of the male bird being found on the four eggs. He also says that another pair bred at Elliot's Mill, two and a half miles up stream. Clark Kennedy (I.e.) was apparently unaware of Gould's observations, but says that a few have been procured on the Thames in summer, though it is better known there as a frequent winter visitor. Bryant Burgess, however, informed him that it bred annually on the banks of the Chess. Hartert did not meet with it at Latimer in 1902, but more recent observations by the Duchess of Bedford and Mr. W. Bickerton show that it still frequents its old haunts at Chenies. near Sarrat Mill, some distance below Latimer, where, however, it was not found in 1918, while no observation took place in 1919.* To other parts of the county it is only known as a winter visitor. Mr. C. Oldham states that it frequents the reservoirs, canals, and water-cress beds of North Bucks in small numbers regularly from early September to mid-March. The Rev. H. D. Astley has recorded it from Chequers Court, and it is met with every winter in the Thames Valley. 39 (81). PIED WAGTAIL. Motacilia alba lugubris Temm. B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 26. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 134. Resident, but a good many move southwards in the autumn and return in early spring. A common bird, and widely distributed. * The breeding-place near Sarrat Mill, close to Chenies, is just a stone's throw or so outside Bucks., in Herts., while Latimer and Chenies are well within the Bucks, boundary. 184 N0Y1TATES ZOOLOGICAL XXVII. 1920. 40 (82). WHITE WAGTAIL. Motacilla alba alba L. B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 134. Rare on passage ; has apparently once bred. On June 17, 1902, Hartert and Arthur Goodson went along the River Chess, near Latimer, in search of the Grey Wagtail. They failed to find the latter, but saw a pair of Wagtails feeding young which seemed to have quite grey backs, and which they took to be M. alba alba. A few hundred yards away they observed M. alba Ittgubris. On subsequent visits later in the year and in 1903 and l!iii4 Hartert failed to see any grey-backed birds. Recently Mr. Chas. Oldham has observed the White Wagtail in spring, though not nesting. On May 5, 1912, he saw one on Wilstone Reservoir ; on May 4, 1913, one with a party of the Yellow (Ray's) Wagtails at Startops End Reservoir ; and on May 3 and 10, 1914, a single one on Wilstone Reservoir. 41 (83). BRITISH TREE CREEPER. Certhia familiaris brittanica Ridgw. B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 49. Viet. Hist, of Bucks, p. 133. Resident. Used not to be rare, but has greatly diminished in number since the severe winter of 1917. 42 (86). BRITISH NUTHATCH. Sitta europaea britannica Hart. B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 50. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 133. Resident. Not uncommon in well-timbered parts of the comity, particularly in Burnharn Beeches and Ashridge Park, but somewhat local and not very numerous any- where. 43 (88). BRITISH GREAT TIT. Parus major newtoni Prazak. B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 23. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 133. Resident. Generally the commonest of our Titmice. Though greatly reduced in 1917, increasing again rapidly in numbers. 44 (90). BRITISH BLUE TIT. Parus caeruleus obscurus Prazak. B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 24. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 133. Resident. Common, and apparently in many places scarcely less numerous than the ' Great Tit. 45 (92). BRITISH COAL-TIT. Parus ater britannicus Sharpe & Dress. B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 24. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 133. Resident. Fairly common in woods, parks, orchards, and gardens, especially where conifers are grown. Though the species suffered greatly during the severe cold of 1917, it is already increasing remarkably. Novitates Zoolooicae XXVII. 1920. 185 46 (97). BRITISH MARSH-TIT. Parus palustris dresseri Stejn. B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 25. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 133. Resident. Used to be fairly common, but has become much rarer since the severe frost of 1917. It is, however, increasing again in numbers. 47 (98). BRITISH WILLOW-TIT. Parus atricapillus kleinschmidti Hellm. The only record for Bucks of which we are aware is a male, formerly in the collection of H. H. Slater (now in the Tring Museum), shot by him at " Chersley, Bucks, 9.xi.l882.'' It was, of course, labelled by the collector as "Parus palustris," as at that time it was not yet distinguished, but is undoubtedly the present form. 48 (101). BRITISH LONG-TAILED TITMOUSE. Aegithalos caudatus roseus (Blyth). B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 25. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 133. Resident. Used to be found in practically all suitable localities, but suffered greatly during the severe frost of 1917. Near the Tring Reservoirs it bred year after year, but has been exterminated in that neighbourhood and not yet seen again. Prior to 1917 it used also to nest fairly commonly at Burnham Beeches, Ditton Park, etc., but has disappeared almost entirely from that district (E. E. Pettitt). As it is beginning to recover its former status in Berks., it will probably reappear in these localities before long. 49 (103). BRITISH GOLDCREST. Regulus regulus anglorum Hart. B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 23. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 132. Resident. Used to be fairly common in suitable localities, but has suffered greatly by the severe frost of 1917, and is now a rare bird. On July 28, 1918, Chas. Oldham heard one singing in the shrubbery at Aston Clinton Park, and another in the park at Ashridge on January 18, 1919 — the only two he has come across since the winter of 1916-17. Hartert has only seen a few near Tring, but not yet in Bucks., since 1917. In the south of the county it was formerly not uncommon, breeding in the Thames Valley at many points, but is only just beginning to reappear in small numbers. 50 (104). FIRECREST. Regulus ignicapillus ignicapillus (Temm.). B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 173. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 132. Exceptional winter visitor. Mr. Alfred Heneage Cocks informed us in 1902 of a specimen killed by his gardener, in his and his brother's presence, at Great Marlow in the sixties, about 1863. It was mounted and is in Mr. Cocks's possession, but it was only identified as a Fireerest some years after. According to Kennedy (I.e.), two Firecrests were procured near Eton about 1 865. This record is rather vague, and as soon after it is stated that a nest with 1S6 N0V1TATES ZOOLOGICAE XXVII. 1920. young, and the two parents, were brought to a Mr. Hasell in 1863, from Windsor Park, and the latter statement cannot be credited, the Eton record can hardly be accepted without caution. In Trans. Herts. Nat. Hist. Soc. vol. v. p. 82, it is stated that one was shot in January 1887, presumably at the Reservoirs. This statement, said to have been made on the authority of the then Hon. Walter Rothschild, is evidently erroneous, as all the supposed author remembers is a verbal statement made to him by the late Rev. H. H. Crewe that it had occurred in Ashridge Park. 51 (105). BEARDED TITMOUSE. Panurus biarmicus biarmicus (L.). B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 174. Exceptional vagrant — one old record. On December 21, 1848, a pair, male and female, were shot on Wilstone Reservoir by the Rev. James Williams, of Tring Park. Only these two specimens were observed, and there is no other record of the occurrence of this species {Zoologist, 1849, p. 2418.) (About twenty years ago some specimens imported from Holland were released on Wilstone Reservoirs, but they disappeared.) 52 (107). GREAT GREY SHRDSE. Lanius excubitor excubitor L. B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 168. Vict. Hist, of Backs, p. 134. Irregular and rare winter visitor. On January 8, 177S, one was shot near Dinton Hall. A female was shot near Wendover about the middle of November 1854, and a male on November 4 of the same year near Weston Turville (H. H. Crewe, Zoologist, 1865, p. 9416). In the winter of 1859-60 a specimen was shot on the banks of the Thames near Clewer, Berks. According to Kennedy (I.e.), a male was shot in 1862 near the Almshouses at Stoke, another in the winter 1865-66 on the banks of the Thames near Windsor, a third at Hampden (no date) which was in Bryant Burgess's collection. Mr. A. H. Cocks also reports one shot close to Great Marlow, either in the eighties or early in the nineties. Hartert saw one in October 1895 near Halton. A female was shot by the present Lord Rothschild on the " Flats " close to the Bucks, boundary near Cholesbury, 17.x. 1895; a male by a keeper near Long Marston, also close to the boundary, 1 8 . xi . 1 896 ; another female caught in a Sparrow-trap at Wilstone Reservoir, 2 . ii. 1 916. 53 (112). RED-BACKED SHRIKE. Lanius collurio collurio L. B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 72. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 134. Summer resident. Rather local and less common during the last twelve years or more than it used to be. In Kennedy's time it was common near Eton. Hubert D. Astley found it not rare near Chequers Court ; and Hartert has observed it there and near Wendover, Aston Clinton, Aylesbury, Buckingham, Dinton, Newport Pagnell, Castlethorpe, Wingrave, and Aston Abbots, but has not seen it recently near Wendover and Aston Clinton in places where it always used to be in evidence. Near the Reservoirs only about one pair has nested recentty. In the Thames Valley it is rather local, but Mr. Pettitt reports a few pairs breeding near Colne- brook, Horton, and Little Marlow. NOVTTATES ZOOLOOICAE XXVII. 1920. 187 54 (113). WAXWING. Bombycilla garralus (L.). B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 174. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 135. Irregular and rare winter visitor. Kennedy (I.e.) writes : " An immense flock appeared along the eastern shores of our island in the winter of 1849-50, which was very severe, and several speci- mens were at that time procured in different parishes of Buckinghamshire. I am indebted to the Rev. Bryant Burgess for the notice of a Bohemian Waxwing which was killed at Ivinghoe Aston in January 1850, and which is now in his collection. An immense number of Bohemian Waxwings were shot in the neigh- bourhood of Buckingham during the spring of 1867, as Mr. J. W. Thorpe told me." [In Trans. Herts. Nat. Hist. Soc. vol. v. p. 82, in a list of birds supposed to have occurred on the Reservoirs, it is stated that a Waxwing was " obtained in March 1883." Unfortunately this statement, made on the authority of the Hon. Walter Rothschild, cannot now be verified, as we cannot trace the specimen. In the Vict. Hist, of Herts, p. 201, it is said that " the first Hertfordshire specimen of the Waxwing was shot about a mile from Tring on the Aylesbury road, about 1851." As the Bucks boundary is very little more than a mile from Tring, this may almost be regarded as a Bucks record.] 55 (114). SPOTTED FLYCATCHER. Muscicapa striate striate (Pall.). B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 74. Vicl. Hist, of Bucks, p. 135. Summer resident. Common everywhere in parks, large old gardens, and certain woods. The blue unspotted type of egg has been found near Slough (H. H. Vyse, Zool. 1890, p. 352, and Field, August 16, 1890, p. 250). 56 (116). PIED FLYCATCHER. Muscicapa hypoleuca hypoleuca (Pall.). B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 169. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 135. Probably occasional summer resident. The records for Bucks, are very few. According to Morris one was killed " many years ago " in the county, in the south-east, not far from Uxbridge. H. J. Elwes informed Kennedy of a well-authenticated nest taken near Eton in the summer of 1860. Mr. Heatley Noble, in litt. : "A nest with six eggs was taken on my late father's property, Berry Hill, Taplow, in June, 187- (the exact year cannot be given). The female was unfortunately killed on the nest." Mr. H. Heneage Cocks, in litt., says : " On May 12, 1883, our gardener at Great Marlow saw in our orchard a bird with white on the wings, which, from its move- ments and other habits, must have been a Flycatcher. He said it looked some- what like a female Chaffinch, but the beak was different. Sir J. A. Godley, K.C.B., reported several years before having seen one specimen there. Two days afterwards the gardener saw evidently the pair, but though I watched for them repeatedly I did not see them, nor were they ever seen again." On May 10, 1901, Hartert heard the song and observed a male in the park of Mentmore. In June of the same year he found no trace of these birds, nor ever afterwards. Mr. Edwin Hollis, while fishing at Hartwell, August 22, 1919, saw a male Pied Flycatcher. It was quite clearly recognized, as it sat within 8 or 10 feet of the observer for several minutes. 188 NOVITATES ZOOLOGKAE XXVII. 1020. 57 (119). CHIPFCHAFF. Phylloscopus collybita collybita (Vieill.). B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 85. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 132. Summer resident and autumn migrant. Common in all suitable localities. From February 10 to 18 a Chiffchaff frequented some willows on Wilstone Reservoir. (See Brit. B. vol. vi. p. 313.) In the Thames Valley it is generally distributed, and Mr. Pettitt notes it as especially numerous in Ditton Park. 58 (122). WILLOW- WARBLER. Phylloscopus trochilus trocbilus (L.). B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 84. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 132. Summer resident ami passage migrant. Generally distributed and hardly absent from any suitable localities. 59 (125). WOOD- WREN or WOOD- WARBLER. Phylloscopus sibilate sibilatrix (Bechst.). B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 84. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 132. Summer resident. The Wood-Wren occurs from April to September in beech and oak woods, in the Chilterns and near Brickhill. In the Thames Valley it is decidedly scarce and entirely absent from the greater part of the district. Mr. Grossman, however, states that it was formerly fairly plentiful in Burnham Beeches and in the woods between that place and Ashley Green ; but Mr. Pettitt has failed to meet with it breeding. A few pairs, however, haunt the woods near the western boundary where the county is more hilly. [SAVI'S WARBLER. Locustella luscinioides luscinioides (Savi). B. of Berks, and Bucks p. 172. In the Zoologist, 1867, p. 704, Lord Clifton published a note saying that he believed that he had observed a Savi's Warbler in a low hedge near Eton, but his description of the bird he saw is by no means convincing ; in fact the statement cannot be accepted. As is well known, the species was formerly a summer resident in Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, and Huntingdon, but, except for a single bird obtained on Fair Isle (!) in 1908, has not been proved to occur since 1856. Another rather vague record appeared in Saunders' Manual Brit. B. ed. ii. p. 92 (1899), as follows : " There is some evidence that this species was noticed in May 1897, in the Humber district, as well as near Olney, Bucks. ' : The latter statement refers to an observation by Mr. C. J. Wilson, M.B.O.U., who kindly wrote to Hartert that he is fully convinced that the " Savi's Warbler is a just record," because he was close to the bird for some minutes, and the locality, the appearance, and the note of the bird were all in favour of its being L. luscinioides.] 60 (133). GRASSHOPPER- WARBLER. Locustella naevia naevia (Bodd.). B. of Berks and Bucks p. 78. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 132. Summer resident. Rather rare. The only certain localities we know of are : on the foot of the hills east of Halton (heard and seen by Arthur Goodson and Ernst Hartert), NOTITATES ZOOLOGICAE XXVII. 1920. 189 Aylesbury (eggs seen by Hartert), Mentmore (heard by Hartert), Castlethorpe (observed by the late Lionel Wiglesworth), Farnham Common (observed by Alan Crossman), Chesham and High Wycombe (teste Kennedy), Drayton Beauchamp (Kennedy, probably from information of Harpur Crewe). In the Thames Valley it is a rare visitor, but Mr. E. E. Pettitt discovered a nest with five eggs at Hythe End in May 1894. Breeding also took place there in 1904, as well as at Wrays- bury in 1919. Mr. Pettitt notes the arrival of this species in the county on April 22, 1895, April 19, 1900, April 21, 1905, and April 30, 1910. In 1919 a pair nested close to Marsworth Reservoir, and the nest was found by Mrs. Oliver Pike, and some beautiful photographs taken by her busband. Mr. Pike is convinced that there were two pairs, but only one nest was found. The Grasshopper- Warbler had not occurred in this place during the last twenty-five years or more. 61 (136). REED-WARBLER. Acrocephalus scirpaceus scirpaceus (Herm.). B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 80. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 132. Summer- resident. Very common on the Marsworth, Wilstone, and Halton (Weston Turville) Reservoirs, and also on the Rivers Thames, Colne, Chess, and Ouse, wherever reeds abound. On the Tring Reservoir the Reed- Warbler is the usual and apparently only foster-parent of the Cuckoo, and all Cuckoo's eggs found there for the last twenty-five years are of much the same type, of course with some variations. Along the Thames and Colne Valleys it breeds commonly, as well as on the pond at Burnham Beeches. Mr. Pettitt has on two occasions found two Cuckoo's eggs in a Reed- War bier's nest in Bucks. For a note on unusually early nesting of this species at the Tring Reservoirs, see Brit. Birds (mag.), vol. ix. p. 48. 62 (137). MARSH- WARBLER. Acrocephalus palustris (Bechst.). Bred in 1909. (In Trans. Herts. Nat. Hist. Soc. vol. v. p. 76, it was stated, on the authority of the Hon. Walter Rothschild, that a Marsh-Warbler was shot near the Mars- worth Reservoir in August 1883, and was in the Tring Park collection. This statement seems to be due to an error in identification of a young Reed- Warbler.) At the time of the publication of the Vict. Hist, of Bucks, this species had not been ascertained to breed in the county. In 19C9 Mr. G. W. Kerr, who had previously discovered the Marsh- Warbler breeding in Surrey, was fortunate in discovering a nest with two eggs of this species, and also one of the Cuckoo in a dense nettle- bed not far from Magna Charta Island on June 1 4. The nest was about 12 yards from the river on firm ground, woven round two nettle stems, and about 18 in. from the ground in the parish of Wraysbury. (The locality in Surrey where the nest was foimd in 1907 is only a few miles south of the county boundary, and about five miles distant from where the birds were found breeding in 1909.) Subsequently Mr. E. E. Pettitt found a second nest at Wraysbury in the same nettle- bed, containing four Marsh- Warbler's eggs and one of the Cuckoo, on June 30, 1909, but the Cuckoo's egg was of a different type to that found on June 14 (Zool. 1909, p. 397). 190 NOV1TATES ZOOLOGICAE XXVII. 1920. 63 (139). SEDGE-WARBLER. Acrocephalus schoenobaenus (L.). B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 78. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 132. Summer resident. The Sedge-Warbler is generally distributed in the valleys, in the neighbour- hood of rivers, ditches, reservoirs and ponds, sometimes in thickly over-grown hedgerows quite a distance from water. Yarrell states that a single specimen was observed near High W^conibe in winter, without giving full date. Such a state- ment is hardly acceptable without proof, but curiously enough there are other statements of the occurrence of Sedge- Warblers in winter. 64 (145). GARDEN- WARBLER. Sylvia borin (Bodd.). B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 82. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 131. Summer resident. In similar places to the Blackcap, but far less common. Grossman and Hartert have observed it near Chesham, Beaconsfield, Burnham Beeches, Halton, Aylesbury, Buckingham, Mentmore, Ashridge Park, Castlethorpe, and Newport Pagnell ; but it occurs doubtless in many other places. In the Thames Valley it breeds in suitable spots, but in far smaller numbers than the Blackcap. Mr. E. E. Pettitt found a nest in Ditton Park which contained a young Cuckoo about four days old on June 5, 1906. 65 (146). BLACKCAP. Sylvia atricapilla atricapilla (L.). B. of Berks and Bucks, p. 82. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 131. Summer resident. Common in parks, woods with undergrowth, gardens and spinneys. Gener- ally arrives end or middle of April, but Hartert. has heard it in full song on April 10, near Wilstone Reservoir. 66 (147). WHITETHROAT. Sylvia communis communis Lath. B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 83. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 131. Summer resident. Common in suitable localities, such as hedgerows, commons, edges of woods, and some gardens. 67 (148). LESSER WHITETHROAT. Sylvia curruca curruca (L.). B. of Berks and Bucks, p. 83. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 131. Summer resident. The Lesser Whitethroat is generally less numerous than the Whitethroat, but not a rare bird. It is curious that it should be so much more plentiful in Middlesex than in the adjoining parts of Bucks. 68 (155). FIELDFARE. Turdus pilaris L. B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 105. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 130. Winter visitor. Arrives usually in October or even November, but there are records by Lord Rothschild and others for September ; getting scarcer from end of March, and Novitates Zoolooicae XXVII. 1920. 191 usually leaving before the end of April, but Crossman mentions ( Vict. Hist. Herts. p. 196) some seen at Great Gaddesden, on the boundary of Herts, and Bucks., on May 8, 1887. 69 (156). MISTLE-THRUSH. Turdus viscivorus viscivorus L. B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 12. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 129. Resident. Common in woods and parks over the greater part of the county, but not in any great numbers in the Thames Valley. 70 (157). BRITISH SONG-THRUSH. Turdus philomelos clarkei Hart. B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 13. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 129. Common resident. The British Song-Thrush is even more numerous than the Blackbird, and stays in Bucks, throughout the year, but a fair number pass through in the autumn, and some in the spring, evidently from higher ground in the north of England and Scotland. We have not been able to detect a specimen of the Continental Song- Thrush among them. The number of Song-Thrushes diminished very greatly in the severe winter of 1917, and though they have increased again considerably in numbers, they are still far behind their strength of before 1917. In the Newton collection at Cambridge is a clutch of four eggs of this species, taken near Stoke in May 1861, in which the ground-colour is perfectly white, with the usual markings. They were at first recorded as eggs of the Golden Oriole. See Ootheca Wolleyana, vol. ii. p. 288, and Field, May 25, 1861, p. 451. 71 (159). REDWING. Turdus musicus L. 1758. [Turdus iliacus L. 1766, of most authors.] B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 106. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, vol. i. p. 130. Common winter visitor. Generally arriving about the middle of October and leaving towards end of March. Mr. Heneage Cocks formerly reported a specimen shot at Harleyford on July 28, 1871, and Mr. E. Burton Durham records one picked up in September 1913 at Chesham Bois (Field, September 27, 1913). On March 11, 1906, Mr. A. H. Cocks met with an enormous flock of this species resting in some meadows near Skirmett. The birds were thickly distri- buted over eight acres of grass land, so that allowing for one bird to each square yard, there must have been over 38,000 birds present ! In the cold winter of 1917 all or nearly all Redwings which were in the county at that time perished ; but in the following winter, though scarcer than usual, more Redwings were seen than Fieldfares. The cold winter of 1854, according to the Field, also destroyed Redwings and Fieldfares " by tens of thousands." In 1918 Redwings were generally very scarce. Hartert saw none until March, when he came to a place — a shrubbery of evergreens — where hundreds were roosting. In 1919 they were probably about as common as before the severe frost, and hundreds came to roost in the same place as the winter before, at least from January to March. 192 Novitates Zoolooicae XXVII. 1920. 72 (162). RING-OUZEL. Turdus torquatus torquatus L. B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 136. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 130. Passage migrant. Kennedy (I.e.) mentions a specimen shot at Risborough " in the spring " of 1840, and another observed by Burgess in his garden at Latimer, September 9, 1862. when specimens were also seen near Dundridge and Wendover. In Trans. Herts. Nat. Hist. Soc. vol. v. p. 82, specimens supposed to have been killed in July 1886, and in October of the same year, are mentioned. The former statement is probably incorrect, being from hearsay or recollection. In 1865 a male was killed near Burnham, and the Rev. H. H. Crewe observed specimens near Drayton Beauchamp, both in spring and autumn. Mr. A. H. Cocks informed Hartert, in lift., that one was shot near Chequers Court about 1878, and another at Stoke Mandeville " at least as long ago as 18S7." The Rev. Hubert Astley has several times observed Ring-Ouzels amongst the juniper bushes near Wendover and Chequers Court. In the Tring Museum is a (J shot at Wingrave 4 . xi . 1896, while others have been observed in autumn, and two shot near Tring, September 14, 1893. Mr. E. E. Pettitt saw one on the Middlesex border, near Stanwell Moor, on April 1, 1907 (in Hit.). 73 (164). BLACKBIRD. Turdus merula merula L. B. of Berks, and Bucks, p. 14. Vict. Hist, of Bucks, p. 130. Common resident. Certainly one of the commonest birds in the county, and a great nuisance to the fruit grower, making the growing of strawberries almost impossible, unless the beds are netted. 74 (167). GREENLAND WHEATEAR. Oenanthe oenanthe leucorrhoa (Gin.). Passage migrant. This not uncommon passage migrant passes probably through Buckingham- shire in numbers, as there are in the Tring Museum three rather typical specimens shot in the neighbourhood of Tring : (J 20 . iv . 1893, (J 12 . iv . 1894, , ,, Kerr, G. W. The Lesser Redpoll in the Thames Valley (Wild Life, viii. p. 94). „ Pettitt, E. E. One Cuckoo — and others [eleven eggs from one female in a season] (Wild Life, vii. pp. 56-60, 92- 7). 1917. Bickerton, W. Notes on Birds observed in Herts, during 1914 and 1915 [incl. Reservoirs !] (Trans. Herts. Nat. Hist. Soc. xvi. pp. 93-105, 141-54). ,, Cocks, A. H. Black-headed Gulls in Bucks [at Skirmett, April] (Field, May 5, p. 663). NOVITATES ZOOLOGICAE, Vol. XXVII, I92O. Pi.. XII. riwt. t r O. C. Pike. Grasshopper-Warbler feeding young, Marsworth Reservoir. ' NOVITATES ZOOLOGICAE, Vol.. XXVII, [020 1Y. XIII. Phut, ty <>. G. Pike Black-necked Grebe on nest, Marsworth lieservoir. NOVTTATES ZOOLOOICAE XXVII. 1920. 259 1917. Oldham, C. Blue-headed Wagtail in Hertfordshire [at Tring Reservoirs] (Brit. Birds, xi. p. 20). „ Pettitt, E. E. Blue Eggs of Spotted Flycatcher ; Late Breeding of Dabchick {Wild Life, ix. pp. 12, 267) ; two notes. „ Priestley, R. C. Wrynecks [nesting notes at High Wycombe] (t.c. p. 268). 1918. Jourdain, Rev. F. C. R. Little Auks in Kent, Sussex, Bucks. ... etc [two occurrences, November 1917] (Brit. Birds, xi. p. 190). ,, Oldham, C. [On the Breeding of the Black-necked Grebe on the Tring Re- servoirs] (Bull. B.O.C. xxxix. pp. 28-34). ,, Dusky Redshanks in Hertfordshire [Tring Reservoirs, August 25] (Brit. Birds, xii. p. 117). 1919. [Editors.] Breeding of the Black-necked Grebe in Hertfordshire (Brit. Birds, xii. pp. 211-13). ,, Hartert, Dr. E. Puffin in Buckinghamshire [near Aston Clinton] (t.c. p. 191). ,, Mayall, A. Large Clutches of Chaffinch's Eggs (t.c. p. 80). ,, Pike, Oliver G. The Black-necked Grebe a new Nesting Bird for England [with nine excellent photos, taken on Tring Reservoirs] (Country Life, xlvii. pp. 293-7, September 6, 1919). „ The Black-necked Grebe [on the Tring Reservoirs], with seven plates (Brit. Birds, xiii. pp. 146-54). ,, Probable Long-tailed Skua in Hertfordshire [on Tring Reservoirs] (Brit. Birds, xiii. p. 143). 1920. Cocks, A. Heneage. Little Auk in Buckinghamshire [seen at Skirmett, December 8] (Brit. Birds xiii. p. 246). 2(,Q NOVTTATES ZOOLOGICAE XXVII. 1920. SOME AFRICAN ANTHRIBIDAE. By Dr. Karl Jordan. 1. Mecocerus albiceps spec. nov. $. M. fasciculate Kolbe (1S95) subsimilis, rostro cum capite vitta alba signato, elytris area albo tessellata dorsali communi magna in medio valde constricta. Rostrum latum deplanatum, dorso bicarinatum, basi sulco brevi mediano instructum. Pronotum sparsim granulatum ; carina dorsali recta in medio levissime interrupts, versus latera angulata, carina laterali alta. Elytra pone basin gibbosa, seriatim punctata, striis 1* et 2" parum impressis. Long. 12 mm. ; lat. 5'5 mm. Hob. Nguelo, Usambara ; 1 $. In the style of colouring the species agrees with Physopterus melanoleucvs Jord. (1913). The rostrum is broad, and bears dorsally on each side of the flattened median area a rather broad carina which is slightly bent outward in the middle and is distant from eye. At the base there is a short median groove, and another shorter and more rounded groove is situated beyond the centre, where the carina* widen and disappear ; between the second groove and the apical margin a slight median carina ; between the dorsal carina and the raised edge of the antennal groove the rostrum is impressed, but there is no sulcus along the carina. Frons broad, being anteriorly at its narrowest point half as broad as the rostrum is long, measured in the middle. The occiput brown, the white stripe tripartite. Antenna pubescent white, club with the exception of the base of segment 9 rufous brown ; segment II much shorter than III (measurements 7 and 10), IX in length like III, VIII and X like II, and XI a little longer than X. Pronotum much rubbed, with indications of an ochraceous median vitta ; at the sides a large basal ochraceous spot ; laterally and along the carina dispersed granules, on the disc a shallow depression ; carina with a small forward angle nearer the sides than middle ; lateral carina very prominent in dorsal aspect. Elytra with the base very distinctly marginate ; a large patch of white spots extends from the subbasal humps to the beginning of the apical declivity, in middle confined to the sutural interspace, anteriorly reaching to the third row and posteriorly to the fifth ; a white spot above shoulder and a few dots here and there ; the rows of punctures not impressed, with the exception of the first and second ; base and sides spotted with ochraceous. Pubescence of underside greyish white, side of metasternite ochraceous. tip of metepimerum white ; mesosternal process broader than long. Tibiae rufous brown, grey near base and beyond middle ; first and last tarsal segments grey with rufous-brown tips, second segment with few grey hair-scales ; first foretarsal segment longer than fourth. '2. Mecocerus balteatus spec. nov. $. Niger, subtiliter brunneo pubescens ; elytris, metasterno abdomineque pube cinerea densissime tectis, balteo lato nigro cinctis. Hab. Benito, Spanish Guinea ; 1 ?. NOVITATES ZOOLOGICAE XXVII. 1920. 261 Near M. oculatus Jord. (1895). Head, rostrum, upper- and underside of prothorax, the extreme base of the elytra, mesosternum, apex of metasternum, and base of first abdominal sternite black clothed with a mummy-brown pubescence which does not conceal the dark colour of the derm ; rest of body covered with a dense ashy-grey pubescence which has a faint luteous tint ; on the elytra a transverse black band, 3'5 mm. wide near suture, narrowing at the sides, continuous with the transverse band of the underside, slightly brownish in sutural half ; the narrow basal band widened at the shoulders. Legs black, with thin grey pubescence, which is denser on the tarsi. 3. Mecocerus de missus spec. nov. ?. Niger, omnino schistaceo-griseo pubescens, elytris fascia transversa nigra notatis. Hab. Gaboon (A. Moequerys), 1 $, type ; Benito, Spanish Guinea, 1 $. Likewise a near ally of M. oculatus. Uniformly slate-grey, with the exception of the brown club of the antenna and a black median band on the elytra. This band is a little more than 1 mm. wide at the side ; it narrows slightly above and does not quite reach the suture. In the second specimen the band is broader and extends across the suture, but is much shaded with slate-grey and only its anterior boundary is well defined, while posteriorly the band fades away. Possibly both this form and the preceding one may ultimately prove to be colour varieties of M. oculatus. Several of the African Mecoceri closely resemble certain Longicorns (e.g. Acmocera), and among mimetic species one must always expect to meet with polymorphism. 4. Mecocerus modestus spec. nov. cJ$. Signatura elytrorum M. annulipedi Karsch (1882) simillimus, sed constructione M. clathrati Jord. (1903). Long. (cap. excl.) 8-10 mm. Hab. Johann-Albrechtshohe, C'ameroons (L. Conradt), 1 pair, type <$ ; Cameroons, 1 Warren's type). Forewing beneath in general less heavily suffused with red than in festiva. Dutch New Guinea : Upper Setekwa River, 2,000—3,000 ft., August 1910 (type and two other JcJ), September 1910 (1 ; SC ! — R 1 stalked for about half their length ; similar to forewing, the first line undeveloped, the median incurved proximally to the cell-dot. Underside with the cell-dots and the postmedian costal dot of forewing strong, otherwise more weakly marked, the median and postmedian lines fairly well developed, terminal dots nearly as above ; costal margin of forewing ochreous brownish. La Plata town. Type in coll. Tring Museum. A very ordinary-looking little species, yet not particularly reminiscent of any other. In some respects, though rather whiter, it somewhat recalls Scopula albidulata Warr. (Novitates Zoologicae, iv. 432). 24. Ptychopoda subfervens sp. nov. 5, pi. 52, fig. 1) described and figured 8. n. Averano carnobarba, an adult male secured by Robin on the island of Trinidad. A little-known synonym thereof is Procnias lumbriciferus Gistel (in Gistel and Bromme t Handb. Naturg. alter drei Reiche, Stuttgart. 1850, p. 295 : " in Waldern Brasiliens," errore !), accompanied by an excellent description of both sexes. Neither of these names is mentioned in the synonymy of 0. variegata in Volume xiv. of the Catalogue oj Birds in the British Museum. — C. E. Hellmayb. NOVTTATES ZOOLOOICAE XXVTI. 1920. 331 OTIDIDAE. Houbaropsis indica (Herrn.) vs. Houbaropsis bengalensis (Gm.). Otis Indica Hermann, I.e. p. 138, based on " Le Churge ou l'Outarde moyenne des Indes " of Buffon, ii. p. 56, antedates Otis bengalensis Gmelin, 1789.* SYNONYMS OF HERMANN. Gracula Martinus Hermann, I.e. p. 195 note, ex Buff. iii. p. 423, " le Martin " = Acridotheres tristis (L. 1766). Paradisaea sexfilis Hermann, I.e. p. 166, ex Buff. iii. p. 171, " Le Sifilet ou Manucode a six filets " = Parotia sefilata (Penn. 1781). Lanius Gonolek Hermann, I.e. pp. 179-180, ex Buff. i. p. 314. " Le Gonolek " = Laniarius barbarus (L. 1766). Oriolus albistriatus Hermann, I.e. p. 204 note, ex Buff. iii. p. 197, " L'Etour- neau des terres Magellaniques ou le Blanche-Raie " = Trupialis militaris (L. 1771). Oriolus striatus Hermann, I.e. p. 204 note, ex Buff. iii. p. 265, " Le Loriot raye " (based in its turn upon Brisson, ii. p. 332, " Le Loriot a teste rayee ") is indeterminable. It invalidates the later Oriolus striatus Quoy and Gaim. 1830, which has to bear the name Oriolus grand (Mathews) (Ibis, 1916, p. 297). Loxia jusca Hermann, I.e. p. 221 note, ex Buff. iv. p. 388, " Le Bouveron " = Sporophila lineola (L. 1758). Loxia flabellicauda Hermann, I.e. p. 186, ex Buff. iii. p. 463, " La Queue en Eventail " = Guiraca caerulea (L. 1758). Fringilla ministra Hermann, I.e. p. 220 note, ex Buff. iv. p. 86, " Le Ministre " = Cyanospiza cyanea (L. 1766). Loxia scandens Hermann, i.e. p. 216, ex Buff. iv. p. 398, " L'Hambouvreux " = Passer montanus (L. 1758). Pipra longicauda Hermann, /ex Buff. iv. p. 429, " Le Plumet blanc " = Pithys albifrons (L. 1766). Tanagra Misisippica Hermann, I.e. p. 214 note, ex Buff. iv. p. 252, " Le Tangara du Mississipi " = Piranga rubra (L. 1758). Tanagra mancipium Hermann, I.e. p. 211 note, ex Buff. iv. p. 263, " L'Esclave " = Dulus dominicus (L. 1766). Larus maximus Hermann, I.e. p. 146 note, description of a Herring-Gull, captured in the neighbourhood of Strassburg in September 1772 = Larus argentatus Pont. 1763. Emheriza Mytilene Hermann, I.e. p. 222 note, ex Buff. iv. p. 322, " Le Mitilene de Provence " = Emberiza rustica Pall. 1776. Motaeilla pyrenaica Hermann, I.e. p. 226, based on the " Pegot," excellently described by de Lapeirouse in Rozier's Observations sur la Physique, xiii. 1779, pp. 422-4 == Prunella collaris collaris (Scopoli, 1769) ex Pyrenaicis montibus. Psittaeus Arimanon Hermann, I.e. p. 182, based on the " Arimanon " of Buffon, vi. p. 175= Coriphilus peruvianus P. L. S. Muller, 1776. * Otis indica Herm. 1783 precludes the further usage of Otis indica Gmelin, 1789 (Syst. Nat- I. ii. p. 725), for which the next available name is Otis aurita Latham (Ind. Orn. ii. 1790, p. 660). The species has therefore to stand as Sypheotis aurita (Lath.) in place of S. indica (Gm.). 332 Novitates Zoolooicae XXVII. 1920. Anas melanocephala Hermann, I.e. p. 161 note, description of a specimen which had been ascertained by dissection to be a male, captured in January 1774 (near Strassburg ?) = Bucephala clangula (L. 1758), description of a male in juvenile plumage. Anas Leucotis Hermann, I.e. p. 161 note, description of a specimen actually examined by the author = Nyroca marila (L. 1761), description of the female. Alcatras Hermann, I.e. pp. 155, 235, is based on the " Alcatraz " in Rozier's Observations sur la Physique, xiv. 1779, p. 475. The description of that bird, " translated from the Italian," appears to have issued from the pen of G. % Molina. This author gives Alcatraz as the Spanish name of Pelecanus Thagus Molina.* Alcatras Hermann, 1783, becomes, therefore, a synonym of Pelecanus Linnaeus, 1758 ; its type is Pelecanus thagus Mol. * Cf. Molina, Saggio eulla storia naturale del Chili, 1782, p. 240. A List of the Contents of the first 25 volumes of Novitates Zoological, 1894-1918, arranged according to Subjects and Authors, is in course of preparation and will be ready for publication in the autumn. LEPIDOPtERA COLLECTED BY THE British Ornithologists' Union and Wollaston Expeditions in the Snow Mountains, Southern Dutch New Guinea WITH TWO COLOURED PLATES By the Hon. WALTER ROTHSCHILD, Ph.D. (LORD ROTHSCHILD) PRICE: £1 5s. (less 20% to Booksellers). A REVISION OF THE LEPIDOPTEROUS FAMILY S PH I N G I D A E By the Hon. WALTER ROTHSCHILD, Ph.D., AND KARL JORDAN, M.A.L., Ph.D. PRICE: £5 (less 20% to Booksellers). cxxxv and 972 pages, with 67 Plates. Annual Subscription to " Xovitates Zoologicae," £1 os. Price of completed Volumes, £1 10s. Volume XXV. and following issues, £1 los. (Commission for Booksellers on completed volumes only.) Communications, etc., may be addressed to THE EDITORS OF " NOVITATES ZOOLOGICAE.' ZOOLOGICAL MUSEUM, TRINC Subscribers should give notice of the non-arrival of any numbers immediately upon receipt of the succeeding part, otherwise the missing numbers cannot be replaced free. PROfTIU) HI llAZELL, W4TOOV ASD VIKEV, LD., J.OKDOK AND AYLEBBUKY. 12.&* NOYITATES ZOOLOGICAE. H Journal of Zooloo\>- ^ *$> EDITED BY LORD ROTHSCHILD, F.R.S., Ph.D., Dr. ERNST HARTERT. and Dr. K. JORDAN. Vol. XXVII. No. 2. Pages 333-512. Plates I— XI. Issued November 15th, 1920, at the Zoological Museum, Tbing. TRINTED BY HAZELL, WATSON & VINE!', Ld„ LONDON AND AYLESBURY. 1920. Vol. XXVII. NOVITATES Z00L0GICAE. EDITED BY LORD ROTHSCHILD, ERNST HARTERT, and KARL JORDAN. CONTENTS OF NO. II. PAGES 1. SPHINGIDAE OF PARA (Pis. I— XI) . . A. Miles Moss . . 333—424 2. TYPES OF BIRDS IN THE TRING MUSEUM Ernst Hartert . . 425—505 3. A NOTE ON TYPE-LOCALITY AND GEOGRA- PHICAL RACES OF THE GUNDI (CTENO- DACTYLVS GUNDI ROTHM.) . . . Oldfield Thomas . 506—507 4. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES ON DIOPTIDAE . Louts B. Proul . . 508—509 5. ON SOME AFRICAN SPHINGIDAE (Illus- trated) KarlJordan . . 510 — 512 NOVITATES ZOOLOGICAE. Vol. XXVII. NOVEMBER 1920. No. H. ,A$ SPHINGIDAE OF PARA, BEAZIL. EARLY STAGES, FOOD-PLANTS, HABITS, ETC. By the Rev. A. MILES MOSS, M.A., F.Z.S., F.E.S., British Chaplain of Para. (Plates I-XI.) INTRODUCTION. rpHE present treatise, though published under the auspices of Lord Rothschild -L and Dr. Jordan in the Novitates Zoologicae of Tring, must be regarded as a sequel and continuation of my Sphingidae of Peru, produced by the Zoological Society of London in their Transactions for 1912 (vol. xx part ii No. 1). It was due to the warm appreciation of the results of my self-imposed task on the part of certain entomological friends in Tring and London that this small work was privileged to see the light. My information at that time was accumulated during a three years' sojourn in Lima, from which I made occasional expeditions over the Andes into the hilly, well-watered, and thickly-forested region of the Interior as far as the river Perene. The volume comprises notes relating to 47 species, with many coloured figures of the early stages of some 22 which had come under my direct observation and been verified, together with a map of the limited district which I had the opportunity of exploring. The investigation of the early stages of Lepidoptera in general has for many years been to me the special charm of collecting, even in England, where, by comparison with distant Peru and other parts of the tropics, almost everything relating to larvae and food-plants is already known. An opposite state of things, however, prevails in S. America, where the large majority of its splendid butterflies and moths are known only as regards general locality in the winged condition. Little by little, at any rate, the different species of kindred or widely-separated groups have been falling into line ; and though in so vast a field of research the work of an individual for a lifetime can never be more than a measured contribution, I am now in possession of voluminous notes and figures relating to the larvae and pupae of Papilios, Morphos, Caligos, other butterfly genera such as Heliconius, Danais, Ithomia, Prepona, Calonephele, Ageronia, etc., the Notodonts with their wondrous diversity in larval form, the Bombyces, Saturniidae, and Limacodidae with their extraordinary spined and stinging caterpillars ; and last, but not least in interest, tfte elegant and highly-developed Sphingid family. 22 334 Novitates Zoolooicae XXVII. 1920. My hunting-ground, though remote from the former, and separated from it by some 3,000 miles, is nevertheless part of the same continent, and possesses a climate and a vegetation widely different from the Pacific Coast, but not altogether dissimilar from the Interior of Peru. The continuity, therefore, of my former investigations has been emphasized by the recurrence of species of wide distribution, and this to an even larger extent than I had anticipated. Common insects among the Hawk-moths, like Herse cingulata, Pseudosphinx teirio, Eriinnjis ello, etc., are known to have an enormously wide range in the American continent, reaching in some instances from Canada to Argentina, and from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic, inclusive of the West Indian Islands ; but I have been not a little surprised, when tabulating my Para species, to renew acquaintance with so many old friends. In Sphingidae alone I find that no fewer than 25 out of the 47 Peruvian species occur here in greater or less abund- ance. Now, after some eight years' residence in the immediate vicinity of the city of Belem (Para), my total list of Hawk-moths has just reached 90 distinct species — a remarkable number when contrasted with the mere 30 which the climate of Europe can support, or the 912 or so known to the entire world. In addition to the 22 species of which I have been fortunate enough to find the larvae, figure them, and more or less study their habits and food-plants according to the opportunity, 17 of this number being common to Para, I am now similarly informed in regard to at least 46 other species, not hitherto obtained or remaining unidentified. The larvae, generally at full growth, sometimes also in the earlier instars, together with a few characteristic pupae, have been figured life-size in water-colours, with all the patient care and faithfulness to detail which I could command in the matters of size, form, and colour. The pupae in many instances throughout an entire genus, such as Xylophanes, approximate to a certain standard or generic pattern, and the highly-important differentiating characters between allied species, such as those supplied by the form of the cremaster, are too minute to portray except by photography or by enlarged diagrams. For other reasons I have been obliged largely to eliminate the portrayal of the food-plants. Judging by numbers alone it would seem that Para is by far the richer field for Sphingidae, and this of course is true if balanced against Lima, which is merely an oasis of green on a desert coast. But when a comparison is made between the mouth of the Amazon and its head-waters in the region of Chanchamayo and Perene, it is by no means so easy to form a just relative estimate. Wallace and Bates discovered many butterflies in Para, but they never even saw many of the Hawk-moths which I find commonly here, and for the simple reason that in their day there were no electric arc lamps to attract them. There are none in the wild Interior of Peru to-day, and the wonder is, looking back at those hasty mule-back trips of ten days at a time, and not always at the best time, that one caught so much. Except for stray moths taken by day, or subsequently bred from larvae on those rare occasions when all con- ditions were favourable, the only attraction after dark in those parts was a solitary kerosene lamp. Here, in Belem, conditions are very different : we live in the midst of swamp and forest unending, 100 miles from the open sea, with the great muddy, tidal river in front of us, intersected by innumerable islands, and each one clothed to NoyiTATEg Zoologicae XXVII. 1920. 335 the water-line by an impenetrable tangle of trees and creepers. We live also in a blaze of electric light nowadays, and from far and near come the moths under the baneful influence of our nightly illuminations ; and this to such an extent that what was once superabundantly common when the electric plant was first installed about 1895, is now comparatively rare, through a process of decimation, as I suppose, within the area of light's attraction. Whether my explanation is adequate to account for the diminution I cannot say for certain, but many bear witness to the fact that there has been an obvious decrease in the number of corpses beneath every brilliant arc lamp since 1908, when the road- cleaners would sweep them up by the bin-full at a time. It is true that Erinnyis ello is still so common in the early months of some years, that on certain occasions it is no exaggeration when I say that I have counted over 200 at a single lamp. Thick, like a swarm of bees, they definitely obscure the light as they swirl around the globe or momentarily settle upon it. The insulated wires are practically invisible, so thickly are they coated with moths, giving them the appearance of being tattered to rags. On every adjacent object does ello settle, walls, palings, tree-trunks, foliage, and even human beings, while many lie squashed on the pavement beneath the feet of pedestrians or by vehicles in the road. Of no other species, however, in these parts can the same be said ; and having now lived in Para for considerable periods on and off since 1911, and having worked the lamps at all times of year and searched every available part of the matto surrounding the city for larvae and imagines, I have come to the fixed conclusion that we possess an immense and extensive ento- mological fauna, corresponding to the vegetation, but that hardly anything is really abundant. Species in plenty but paucity of individuals is a characteristic of Belem, as opposed to other parts of the States of Para and Amazonas up-river, where butterflies like the Pieridae, for example, may sometimes be caught, 40 or 50 at a single stroke of the net. These remarks apply with special force to such families as the Erycinidae among the butterflies, and to the Syntomidae, Limacodidae, and Notodontidae among the moths, and they are no less applicable to the Sphingidae. Statistics in the matter of relative abundance are apt to be erroneous and to defy conclusions, but my experience seems to suggest a fairly equal grouping of the Para Sphingidae under four heads, as follows : Single specimens or very rare ; rare or of spasmodic occurrence ; hidden but not rare ; common and occasionally abundant ; about 22 in each group. It is worth while to examine, and as far as possible to co-ordinate, the various causes which make for the abundance or scarcity of particular species ; for apart from the disturbance of nature's balance by the introduction of brilliant and attractive lights, for which man is responsible, there are many important factors over which he has little or no control, and which claim the attention of every observant person. Let us consider first the species which are abundant, and see why this is probably the case. Our conclusions "rank under three heads : ( 1 ) General hardiness and adaptability of larva to withstand various climates and thrive on various food-plants. (2) The abundance and wide distribution of suitable plants. (3) The comparative or total absence of parasitic attack. All these conditions appear to be fully satisfied in the case of ello, which is 336 Novitates Zoological XXVII. 1920. doubtless the commonest Sphinx hi the American continent, and so can still afford, better than any other, to lose a few millions periodically at electric lamps. Only once in numerous examples have I found it affected by dipterous parasites. The next point to notice is that Euphorbiaceae, with which the larva is chiefly associated, is an immense and widely-distributed Order of plant-life, and also that ello largely facilitates matters for itself by being able to feed freely on very many species belonging to different genera of that order. My idea, in short, then, is that the insect is hardier, and has a wider range of distribution, than any one species of those plants which sustains it as a larva ; and as one after another fails when the tropics are exchanged for the colder regions, its place is taken by some other plant which provides an equally nutritious pabulum. The chief means of sustenance in the Para region for ello are apparently two in number, the rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis), for which Para is famous, and the mandioca [Manihot utilissima), for which it is hardly less so, providing, as it does, the native substitute for bread and starch from here to the coast of Peru. Even with this abundance others are occasionally preferred, and thrice, to my surprise, have I discovered ello associating itself with the entirely distinct Order Sapotaceae, and feeding on the leaves of " abiu " (Lucuma caimito). In two of these cases, being half-grown, the larvae stoutly refused to eat anything else. One died of starvation through my too-prolonged experiment with other leaves ; with the other I gave way, hoping that possibly I had discovered the larva of E. lassauxi, a totally distinct creature associated with Asclepiadaceae, but this I only learnt three years later. It was carefully figured to note subtle points of difference, but on emergence, to the banishment of my hopes, it produced but a perfect and typical ello. In Barbados ello feeds on the deadly " manchineel " (Evphorb.) ; and in the Lima district it was more often found feeding on Euphorbia pilvlifera and heterophylla, Cnidoscolus fragrans, Cvrcas piirqans, and Poinsettia pulcherrima. Continuing this line of research, we pass briefly to such common and widely- distributed species as Herse cingulata, the Convolvulus Hawk of America, the larvae of which thrive equally well on the cultivated sweet potato of these parts, with its abundant wild variety called " salsa," as they do on any species of true bind-weed from north to south and right across the continent. This species, again, seems to enjoy complete immunity from parasitic attack. A few other examples may be cited, e.g. Protoparce sexta, a Solanaceous feeder, which is very widespread, and is as .much at home on the potato and tomato of North America as it is on the tobacco, the capsicum peppers, or the " jurubebas " of hotter parts. Within the great Order of Solanaceae, though more especially in the genus Solanum, there is never the lack of appropriate fodder ; and once again I have only occasionally found this species troubled with dipterous and hymenopterous parasites. Pseudosphinx tetrio, an Apocynaceous feeder, though limited to Plumiera, is never at a loss in establishing a large gregarious brood of larvae, which will as readily defoliate the Frangipanni trees adorning the gardens of the West Indies and Brazil as the many still undescribed species of that genus, known here as " sucuuba," and ranging throughout all the more open parts of these tropical forests. Never have I discovered any parasite which attacks this most showy and abundant caterpillar. Pachylia ficus, another very common and widely-distributed species associated with Moraceae, I recall for the particular purpose of showing Novitates Zoolooicae XXVII. 1920. 337 that her adaptability to environment gives us at least one of the causes of her abundance, and affords a fine example of the working of an unerring instinct in regard to the distribution of her ova. I have learnt some botany from her at first-hand, and also a new riddle, which I may perhaps be pardoned for quoting as a good instance of appearance deceiving the eye, viz. — When is a willow tree not a willow tree ? — When it is a ficus ! Such a tree grows in our Botanic Garden in Para, and was at first quite erroneously recorded by me as a Salix. After repeatedly finding the caterpillar of this species on it and on many other trees of very distinct form and foliage, if I have not yet learnt how many different species of Ficus there are, I at least realize how deep and sound were the lines of our scientists, who, under the titles Moraceae and Urticaceae, were bold enough to group with Ficus such dissimilar trees as Artocarpus and Cecropia. On representatives of all three genera the larvae of Pachylia, especially P. syces, are often found feeding. My friend and botanical instructor of former days in Para, Dr. Huber of the Museu Goeldi, and a botanist of the very first rank, was greatly impressed with this interesting sidelight on our parallel studies. In their own limited degree, and in accordance with their particular needs, there are no finer botanists in the world than the moths, nor any such savants in the minute details of organic chemistry ; for, by methods beyond our com- prehension, they know exactly where to lay their eggs, and of what particular shade of composition those leaves must be to admit of nourishing their progeny, or of even providing them with their first green meal. P. ficus is sometimes, but rarely, stung by the same small hymenopterous fly which, in Para, too frequently brings about the destruction of its congener, P. syces. We have instanced enough by way of example, taking a few of the commonest species, to show, I hope correctly, why they are common. Everything is a matter of degree, and the conditions, favourable or un- favourable to the life of a species, would appear to differ in every case. In regard to the scarcity of many species, I have occasion throughout to point to causes which are traceable, and which, whether acting singly or in combination, are obviously enough to bring about the rarity of rare species, and reduce others to well-nigh the point of extinction. Before, however, considering these causes, there are other points in regard to abundance and wide distribution of which we must take account. The first is that such species as ello, cingulata, sexta and tetrio among those instanced, as well as many other moderately common forms like Pholus labruscae, are known to be long and strong fliers, as evidenced by their capture at sea and on the cold inhospitable heights of the Andes, far away from the localities and plants which gave them birth. This propensity of wandering, though it must result in the destruction of scores of individuals, betokens an extraordinary power of endurance, and exhibits an inborn tendency to spread and to establish when conditions are favourable. That this has been the case with many, one cannot doubt ; that it fails of its purpose in other instances, and more by faulty climatic conditions than by any shortage of food, is equally apparent. This is well illustrated in the case of P. tetrio, which was sometimes intercepted in its long flights over the Andes by the electric lights of Cerro de Pasco at an altitude of nearly 15,000 feet above sea-level, but which also frequently reached the coast from the Interior. There in the neighbourhood of Lima, the Frangipanni, its 338 NOVITATES ZOOLOGICAE XXVII. 1920. food-plant, was common in gardens, but the conditions were chill and gloomy, and never once could I discover its very obvious and easily-found larva, or induce a captured female to lay eggs. In England, to take a parallel case, we never tire of regretting that Euphorbia on the south coast and Galium on the sandhills of Lancashire are not enough in themselves to induce the lovely Celerio euphorbiae and C. gallii to take up their residence among us permanently. Returning to the question of abundance, an important feature to note is the greater hardiness sometimes observable in the larvae of many common species over rarer forms, the latter appearing to be more delicate and fastidious and susceptible of attack. Often have I noticed that a rare species, though provided with suitable food, will in many cases absolutely refuse to eat, if sealed up within the confines of a biscuit-tin ; whereas common things like sexta will finish off every scrap of leaf and stalk, and manage to pupate somehow, though deprived of nature's bounty. Fortunately, nature can provide no such harsh parallel, but even in the wild state caterpillars, like other creatures, have troubles many and various to meet ; and the extra degree of hardiness to withstand every wind that blows may quite conceivably spell the salvation of the individual and the increase of its kind. The percentage, too, in the death-rate of pupae, considered in relation to the brevity or longevity of the pupal period, is another factor of importance to note. Under artificial conditions this is certainly a very variable quantity with different species, but for that very reason it is difficult to generalize and to say exactly what happens in nature, for better or for worse. Undoubtedly here, as with larvae, some are more delicate, and are more readily influenced for weal or woe than others by conditions of humidity and temperature. The last point I wish to make in connection with the abundance of those species which we have been considering, and many others almost equally common, is that in proportion as they are common, due allowance being made for the limitations imposed by climate, range and extent of food-plant, general hardiness, etc., so are they comparatively free, not from outside foes, but from that still more serious and deadly complaint, parasitic attack in the early stages, which is generally irremediable. By this I do not, of course, mean that their abundance gives them any such immunity, but that the immunity which they enjoy in this respect is at least one of the prime causes of their abundance. This I take to be a most important consideration, and though even here there are exceptions, I am convinced that the converse is equally true, viz. that the rarity of many rare species, where the struggle for existence is obviously very severe, is primarily due to excess of parasitic attack in the early stages of those species. Doubtless all this is governed by the laws of nature, and summed up under the principle known as the " Survival of the Fittest," but I am bound to confess that I do not like the term, when thus applied. If, at any rate, my views are sufficient to explain why many species still remain common, we cannot deny that many others are rare ; and in facing the problem of rarity, which we must now do, and in searching for its causes, it is well perhaps to take the least important first and deal with the rest in an ascending scale. novitates zoologicae xxvii. 1920. 339 Climatic Conditions. The weather must, of course, come in for its fair share of blame, but Para would not be Para without it, and all things considered we enjoy a really wonderful climate, the advantageous conditions which it produces being far in excess of its drawbacks. (See General Conditions, p. 358.) My accusations, therefore, under this head shall be limited to the following : Torrential downpours of rain, preceded by sudden sharp gusts of wind of short duration, which undoubtedly dislodge various larvae, and bring to their certain doom many that have only just emerged from the egg ; floods, which must occasionally drown ill-located larvae and subterranean pupae, but to what extent it is impossible to estimate ; excessive humidity, which frequently, even in nature, produces fungoid growth to the destruction of pupae with or without cocoons ; excess of direct sunshine, which in certain localities burns pupae to death, or deprives larvae of pabulum by drying up the food-plant. Such troubles, however, in Para do not amount to more than, if as much as, they do in other parts of the world, nor do they apply in any special measure to the Sphingidae. In fact, my experience inclines me to the belief that even collectively they constitute the least of the destructive forces which act and react upon the forms of life under consideration. Predatory Foes. A far greater responsibility undoubtedly rests with certain predatory foes, which comprise a woefully long and varied list. To illustrate this, I can but catalogue a number of individual instances which have come under my direct observation, as follows : (1) The " bemtivi " or golden tyrant, which is frequently seen assisting the lamp-cleaner by consuming Hawk-moths as well as the smaller fry left from the previous night. Not content with mouthfuls in moderation to be found in genera like Epistor, Perigonia, and Sesia, he sometimes has the audacity to sample with his damaging beak the large and showy representatives of Protambulyx, Amplypterus, Oryba, and Pholus. (2) The " bacurao " or night-jar, which carries on the same murderous game at night, waiting silently on the ground just outside some illuminated area in an open place, and rising to snatch the moths as they are drawn to the light. (3) Other insectivorous birds, small and great, and too numerous to mention, of such families as Formicaridae and Dendrocolaptidae, whose life's occupation is to hunt insect-eggs and caterpillars on leaf, stem, and trunk, and peck open cocoons. Though I cannot here cite special instances, it can hardly be doubted that young Sphingidae, especially when green, perish thus in considerable numbers. (4) Coming to domestic regions, the barn-yard fowl, the cat, and that par- ticular type of pedestrian whose mind is as heavy as his boot, I rank in one class, though they are not all birds. To their united and vandalistic efforts in the immediate vicinity of dwellings must be ascribed a very considerable shortage in those forms of living creatures which were surely meant to adorn the earth, and which are just as harmless as they are beautiful. Ignoring the obvious ravages of the hen and her brood, the chief victims are large Sphingid moths, 340 Novitates Zoolooicae XXVII. 1920. " played " to death beneath every other street-lamp at night by cats, whose more normal avocations in life are temporarily suspended. Then come the great larvae of such genera as Cocytius, Protoparce, and Pachylia, which from their size, movement, and vivid coloration on the dead earth or pavement are very conspicuous objects, as they wander in search of suitable places to pupate. The destructive instinct at once comes uppermost, and is unfortunately not limited to children and school-boys. Though in many cases not in the least like snakes, they are, of course, always taken for them, and must be squashed or cut in half. (5) Of insect-eating animals I cannot speak from personal knowledge, but from the way in which small monkeys greedily devour cicadas, it is not un- reasonable to assume that Sphingidae have foes even from this quarter. (6) Then come the bats, whose ravages are but too well known. Though Vampirus is mainly a fruit-eating genus, and others have a decided taste for human and animal blood, the nightly destruction which prevails among the winged creation in general, Sphingidae included, must be enormous beyond computation. On favourable evenings in the main public square of Para, the central pavement of which is adorned with a monument and four brilliant arc lamps, I have seen as many as twenty very large bats at the same time, sweeping in and out of the illuminated area, twittering vociferously in chorus and devouring everything wholesale. I have many times seen one actually cling for a brief moment to the wire hanging in proximity to the globe, gobble an cllo or two, disturb half a dozen others with its wings, and decamp. (7) Under the general head of reptiles, but especially lizards, the destruction of Sphingidae, as of other families, is again enormous. The electric lamp is once more the rendezvous for toads and frogs. There are huge olive-brown, fat-bellied toads sitting beneath and ready to swallow up anything that is unwary enough to alight on the ground, or being dizzy, and perhaps singed, falls within the range of their leap. There are small frogs of several tree-climbing varieties, which I have frequently seen not only clinging to the smooth iron of the post, but on occasion quietly enjoying their suppers in line with forty or fifty Hawk-moths upon the insulated wire leading to the globe. Never, surely, was there such a place as Para for lizards in the matters of size, abundance, and variety. They are to be found in every part of the matto, wet or dry, in every garden, on every wall, and even in every house ; for a small sand-coloured and semi-domesticated cousin, named " osga " (Hemi- dactylus), is suffered to abide with us, because he is fond of mosquitos. " Osga " also sits upside-down on enamelled lamp-reflectors at night and waits for moths. I counted five the other day in passing a dozen street-lamps. But the point to remember above all is that all lizards and snakes, so far as I am aware, eat caterpillars and chrysalides, morning, noon, and night, and have apparently solved the knotty problem most satisfactorily to themselves, that they of all creation are the fittest to survive. The " acapu " palings which line the roads and gardens of Para are largely tressed with creepers like Cissus, Echites, Davilla, etc., and they are also thronged with lizards, untiring in their quest for food. It is here that many heedless Hawk-moths of such genera as Pholus, Epistor, Aleuron, and Leucorhampha deposit the greater portion of their ova ; for it is here that I have periodically been successful in securing a first innings at the egg-laying season. Novitates Zoolooicae XXVII. 1920. 341 Assiduous and prolonged searching results in the discovery of many ova and young larvae of these species on the out-branching tendrils and freshly- expanding leaves, but not for long will you find them there. A number of empty egg-shells and recently nibbled leaves too often betoken only that the devourer has been devoured. A fortnight later you will be fortunate if you discover a single caterpillar that had somehow escaped detection, and become too tough and fat or too snake-like to be eaten ; for in such positions the waste must be enormous, and it is clear that only the merest fraction of this potential life can ever reach maturity. Considering the perpetual depredations of lizards alone or in conjunction with other foes, the marvel is not that the majority of butterflies and moths are scarce hereabouts, but that many species which are rare survive at all. Possibly some have disappeared by this agency, and I presume that we shall none of us ever be any the wiser. Possibly they represent some of the missing links in that great chain of life of which to-day we behold but remnants in certain isolated units which seem to hinge-on to nothing and to defy classification. (8) Next come predatory insects. I use the term freely for convenience, to include all sorts of creeping, crawling, and flying creatures, which in turn bite, sting, and devour lepidoptera in all stages of life. Prominent among these are Arthropods such as centipedes and spiders, small and great, as well as lice, beetles and cockroaches, locusts and Mantidae, wasps and other flies, and last, but by no means least in effect, hordes of ants, whose ravages, whether conducted singly or by universal onslaught according to the habit of the species, certainly represent wholesale destruction on the grandest and most distressing scale. For the scavengers of refuse we have nothing but approval, but Para is so richly furnished that it has ants to eat everything, alive or dead, and half one's time is wasted in the futile attempts at warding off their insistent attacks. Besides the ants which fill your sugar-basin, eat your fruit, drown themselves in your drinks, and invade your entire food-supply, there are ants to consume not only your dried insects but living larvae and the young brood just out of the egg, which have been carefully sleeved-out on some growing plant. The sleeve-net is at once appropriated as the suitable locality for a new nest, with the larder already stocked at close quarters. On other occasions you import choice plants into your garden to serve in larvae-rearing, and during the night they are denuded of every leaf by a train of big red " saiiba " ants, whose earthworks may be in some one else's garden a hundred yards or more away. A very large solitary black ant known as " formiggo " (Ewponera) is often met with on the matto paths with a moribund caterpillar between his jaws. In short, there is not a place, not a tree-trunk nor a leafy bough, that is not the resort of one species or another of the ant world. They literally swarm everywhere, and are responsible for immense destruction. The attack of a common black predatory wasp has recently been very clearly demonstrated to me, still further explaining why the healthy young caterpillar of yesterday is no longer to be found on his perch to-day. In an attempt, which should otherwise have succeeded, to introduce a hardy species of Citheronia, found commonly at Pernambuco but unknown here, I reared some 300 young larvae from the egg. These were kept in the protection of my bathroom until they had reached the second or third instar, and were an inch 342 Novitates Zoolooicae XXVII. 1920. or more in length. Then, considering them tough enough to withstand the elements, and sufficiently heavily spined to ward off predatory foes, I placed them out in a large net open at one end upon a guava tree with profuse leaves in my churchyard. Three days later my 300 were reduced to 3 by this miserable black thief, several specimens of which were seen still exploring the boughs, while one was actually inside the net munching at mangled remains. As no further trace of the rest could be found, I presume that the majority had been carried off to the nest. Thus does the struggle for life continue, and I know of no place which offers greater facilities than Para for the observation of its diverse phases and features. Parasitic Foes. We come now in order to the last but most insidious branch of foes to which lepidoptera in their early stages are exposed — viz. Hymenopterous and Dipterous parasites. Once again Para is full of them, and doubtless in many instances they are in themselves undescribed species, or if they occur in collections, they at any rate lack any demonstration of that intimate relationship with the various species of lepidoptera on whose life's blood they were nourished in their own larval stages. I have got nothing new in principle to narrate over and above what is known to exist in Europe and other parts of the world, but only to record the very widespread and pronounced character of this unlovely association in Para, as evidenced by the large proportion of one's caterpillars, which to one's disgust only produce flies and wasps. These may be very interesting in them- selves, and I kill and label them off under the name of the host for future identification ; but as it is impossible to specialize in all branches of entomology at the same time, I will at once confess to being the victim of a relentless prejudice. Among the Sphingidae, as illustrations of what I have too often experienced, I may cite the following instances : The eggs, generally laid on the under-surface of the tenderest leaves of the food-plant, are frequently " stung " by some almost microscopic hymenopterous fly. After the lapse of but a few days there emerge from one or several holes ten or a dozen of its progeny, which, marvellous to relate, have completed their entire metamorphic cycle within the confines of the egg-shell of the moth. This I observed in Cambridge and Windermere years ago in the case of the common Emperor-moth's eggs, and I have very frequently noted it not only in connection with the large ova of Cocytius, Protoparce, Protambulyx, Pachylia, Leucorhampha, and Pholus, but even with the smaller eggs of Xylophones, and no species seems to be immune. In P. syces, L. ornatus, and X. chiron, guianensis, anubus, and especially mossi, the larvae are too frequently stung by dipt era, producing from 10 to 30 maggots with imagines resembling blue-bottles or the common house-fly. Many are subjected to attack by both diptera and hymenoptera ; the larva of X. anubus, for example, once producing a single and very large wasp grub which spun a tough black silk cocoon. The genus Protoparce is similarly troubled, not only by Diptera (the eggs of the parasite in this case being generally introduced in the region of the spiracles), but also, though more rarely, by a small wasp. In this latter case the full-grown grubs of the parasite emerge through the back and sides of the still-living but NOVITATES ZOOLOQICAB XXVII. 1920. 343 sadly attenuated host, and spin little yellow or white silken cocoons in situ, standing up on end and reminding one of the almonds which sometimes adorn a plum-pudding. The larvae of a small Hawk-moth in Pernambuco, Neogene dynaeus, is thus literally decimated. On corresponding lines the genus Pachylia, especially syces, which is so much rarer in Para than ficus, is stung by a very small hymenopterous parasite, resulting in the production of some hundreds of tiny flies from the body of a single caterpillar. In this instance, the larva, while still clinging to a leaf, becomes completely encircled by a mass of tiny white cocoons closely woven together. The writhing larva then falls out or is devoured by ants, and what is left appears to be a thick lump of cotton-wool sticking to the leaf, of tubular formation and open at each end. In the case of dipterous parasites which affect species belonging to Acherontiinae, Sesiinae, and Choerocampinae, and possibly the two other sub- families, the exodus of the maggots from the body of the caterpillar invariably takes place in the puparium, and even after the spinning of a slight but deficient amount of silk. These Diptera, though bearing a striking resemblance to ordinary flies, of course represent many distinct species. It is more than possible, however, that some of the common parasitic species are by no means restricted to any one kind of caterpillar, but thrive at the expense of the lives of a number of larvae belonging to different species and genera or even to different groups. In other families of Lepidoptera, such as the Saturn iidae, the larvae manage to pupate in stout, well-woven cocoons with all the appearance of health, and only later do the dipterous maggots break through the walls of the chrysalis within, and form their own glossy brown oval cocoons alongside the corpse of their victim. This sometimes takes place here with a few Sphingidae which spin a covering web interwoven with fragments in the crevice of a tree-trunk, such as Isognathus scyron. In other cases the metamorphosis of a species of Diptera, sometimes that of one large hymenopterous fly, sometimes that of a number of small ones, is completed within the confines of the pupa-case itself, from which the flies emerge by separate holes. This is frequently observed here, as elsewhere, as a pronounced feature with many species of lepidoptera, the first prevailing with the Saturniid genus Rothschildia. The last-named variety is especially marked in such species as Papilio thoas and androgens, Aganisthos odius, Brassolis sophorae, Opsiphanes, etc., among the butterflies ; and I have only recently discovered that Isognathus allamandae Clark in Pernambuco is similarly attacked, though up to the present I do not remember to have bred any Sphingid parasite of this particular kind in Para. For the sake of completeness, as being a prevalent form, one other type of dipterous parasite deserves special mention. How far it attacks Sphingid larvae I cannot say, but the large Nymphalids of such genera as Caligo, Catoplebia, Opsiphanes, Dynastor, and Prepona are very extensively troubled by it. The method of egg-laying on the part of the female parasite, which I have caught in the act of ovipositing, is different, and for a brief period one degree less damaging, in that it gives the caterpillar, or rather its captor, a fighting chance. This I have repeatedly proved after a painstaking operation with the forceps, in which the temper of the " stung " caterpillar is sorely tried. The eggs, which are ochreous and tough, are gummed on. externally with diabolical accuracy of instinct, sticking like ticks at one end immediately behind the horned head of 344 NOVTTATES ZOOLOOICAE XXVII. 1920. the larva and in the interstices of the segments, so that the poor victim cannot bite them off. If found before the young maggots have hatched and eaten their way into the host's body, they may with great patience and care be removed, one at a time, 10 to 50 of them, and the larva will pupate and emerge as perfectly as if it had never been scented-out by so unwelcome a visitor. This method of procedure is adopted by certain species of Diptera in England, and I have more than once found the noble 1 larva of Oryba kadeni thus molested. Such, then, are the forces of decimation among the butterflies and moths of Para, and with parasitism in insect life I close my mournful list. The word, from being originally applied to the drone in human society, has come now to be used somewhat loosely, thereby losing some of its original force. In a true sense the cuckoo, which has ceased to build a nest and rear its own progeny, is a parasite. My use of the term here, however, is strictly limited to what I consider to be degenerate forms of life, whose evolution has had a downward tendency, and has involved the loss of an erstwhile independence by an unorthodox dependence for nutriment upon the living and prepared juices of another species in the same general order of creation. Such is our mistletoe, which no longer needs roots, but sucks the prepared sap of the apple-tree and the oak, and survives at their expense. Such is the Brazilian mistletoe, clustering as a thick yellowish mass among the upper branches of Genipa americana ; such also is the " herva de passarinho," which diminishes the health and fecundity, if it does not curtail the growth, of the orange and mango, and others like the " abacate," among the more indigenous trees of Brazil. Such, however, is not the orchid, which, like many another plant (ferns, Bromeliaceae, etc.), only finds a lodgment and support upon the trunk or branches of a tree, does not derive nourishment from its sap, and is quite erroneously termed " parasita " in the Portuguese tongue. Of parasitism among the insects I have already said enough to make my meaning clear. That it has its uses in preserving the balance of nature by limiting the over-rapid increase of those species attacked cannot be doubted. It is a selfish and harassed world in which we live, and just as parasitism looms large as a universal feature, so are we bound to acknowledge that this trouble in the insect world is quite in order. My contention therefore is, not that it is right, but that, so far as the present age is concerned, it is in full accord and harmony with those laws which we find actively at work in every other department of life. I contend, on the other hand, that it is very far from ideal, and that by no stretch of casuistry can it be reconciled with the assertion made in Genesis (chap. i. ver. 31), that " God looked upon everything that He had made, and behold it was very good." No matter how allegorical such passages as these may be, no matter how deficient as scientific statements, they stand, in my humble estimation, in their broad general outlines for essential truth. And, though it may be thought fanciful, I fail to understand how persons who refuse credence to the second great dogma, known as " the Fall," can effect any sort of recon- ciliation between nature and revelation. Accept " the Fall," and parasitism at once becomes at least intelligible as a part, not of a fair creation, but of a disorganized and perverted system ; and at the same moment, in the marvels of the Divine economy, one of the means necessarily resorted to to prevent matters from becoming worse. Not therefore by adopting the so-called " scientific " view of former days, Novitates Zoologicae XXVII. 1920. 345 not by ignoring the theological tenet regarding a fallen state, which for too long has been deemed at variance with the theory of evolution, but by accepting both the statements of the Bible and the plain truths of nature can one read Darwin and Wallace, and may I add Huxley, with the immense pleasure and profit to be derived from almost every page of their writings. And, further, I claim that one can emerge from this fiery ordeal not a rationalist, still less an atheist, but a believer still and a fuller believer, whose creed, if it has been subjected to the rationalizing process, has only been shorn of immaturity and excess, and readjusted to an altered perspective. By way of forestalling a possible criticism, it is obvious, from the previous verse to that referred to in the first chapter of Genesis, that vegetation was meant to serve as food for animal life and creeping things, and it is equally obvious that man was meant to eat animals ; but all this is the direct opposite" of parasitism, taken as I understand the word. To summarize, then, I cannot conceive it as any part of a very good creation, though evolutionary changes subsequent to " the Fall " may have necessitated it, that, for example, a healthily-nourished caterpillar, which has in itself all the potentialities of becoming that for which it was intended, viz. a perfect butterfly or moth, should have its vitals consumed by another creeping thing, the larva of another insect, in fact, simply to complete its own metamorphosis, no matter how equally perfect that other insect may be in the marvels of its own construction. Is not the world large enough for all ? Its near relatives still live on fruit or decaying wood or excrement, and at the least hasten on the purifying process whereby these substances are returned to their primal and scentless elements. The degenerate parasite, on the other hand, slowly tortures another living creature to death, and, having deprived the earth of an item of beauty so far in excess of its, own achievements, leaves behind a putrid and stinking mass for others to clear away. However much truth the term " Survival of the Fittest " may cover, it does so effectually cover up everything under that vaguely comprehensive and indefinable word " fittest," that it seems but to shelve difficulties. What is the fittest to survive, and why ? From what initial standpoint of enlightenment and authority do we argue that any one living organism is more fit to survive than another ? Is it not from all the evidence before our eyes, those plain broad facts which none can dispute or deny, that feeling bound to acquiesce in the inevitable we give it a name ? My objection is solely ranged against the word " fittest," for it seems to beg the question and to land us into an awkward dilemma. We all, for example, have our sense of beauty as opposed to ugliness, and there is even a general consensus of agreement upon the point. We all form relative estimates upon the practical utility and worth of things throughout the entire creation, animate and inanimate, and again there is a large general consensus of opinion. But how does nature deal with beauty and utility ? She is stern, relentless, and without discrimination, making no account whatever of our conventional standards and values. As often, in obedience to those elementary laws which enjoy universal sway, do her blind forces of destruction demolish the beautiful and useful as they burn rubbish. As often, in her milder moods, does she tenderly nurture the worthless weed by those same benign influences 346 NOVITATES ZOOLOGICAE XXVII. 1920. with which she fosters some type of growth that we account precious. We are left, then, to face two alternatives : ( 1 ) that our standards of appreciation and valuation, no matter how world-wide their support, are all wrong, which I do not believe ; for though confessedly conventional, they must bear some, relation to the absolute ; or (2) that, in the face of our ideas upon beauty and utility, those which actually do survive in the struggle for existence are thereby proved, ipso facto, to be the fittest to survive, which I no more believe. I am aware that I am employing the term in a somewhat unusual and restricted way, and it is in this sense only that I contend that the word " fittest " is made to do too much duty. At one time it stands as the equivalent of " strongest " or " cleverest," at another it simply represents superior brute force or the greatest cunning, or at best the most prepared. But it is when we come to a consideration of those disintegrating forces like parasitism among insects and plants that our rebellion against the use of the term " Survival of the Fittest " reaches high-water mark : for the successful parasite, though transcending the wisdom of a Solomon in the accuracy of its aim and in the attainment of its object — namely, supremacy in the struggle for life — does so by methods which are discredited and are altogether out of harmony with what we understand as the principles of justice and morality. Though it may serve a useful purpose in the general economy, judging by human standards, we are bound to acknowledge that on such occasions it is the fit which disappears and something worse, less valuable or less beautiful, which survives. Right or wrong, fit or unfit, parasitism is assuredly and immensely responsible for the reduced number of many representatives of practically all the lepidopterous families, and consequently for the reduction, almost to vanishing point, of one of nature's loveliest ornaments. Each of the five subfamilies into which the Sphingidae are now classified is represented in Para and in the following proportion : Acherontiinae 16, Ambulicinae 6, Sesiinae 47, Philampelinae 9, and Choerocampiriae 12; and just as there are many other species of a more or less restricted range of distribution in different parts of the immense region drained by the Amazon and its tributaries, so possibly are there even more species near the southern side of its mouth than the 90 or so which I have had the good fortune to come across. Due allowance must of course be made for this in any subsequent remarks dealing with the parallelism or difference which obtains between the species considered. I now have some observations to make in regard to the features, habits, and peculiarities of the Para Sphingidae, which, when correlated, apart from any intricate or anatomical questions, constitute a striking array of facts, and go far in suggesting a true system of classification. Those with which I wish to deal are five in number : (1) Form, design, and colour of larvae ; (2) Pecu- liarities of their excrement ; (3) Method of pupation ; (4) Form, design, and colour of pupae ; and (5) The association of species or even whole genera with some particular Order of food-plant. (1) Form, Design, and Colour of Larvae. Here I would notice at the outset the general similarity of young Sphingid larvae on emergence from the egg, suggesting the close alliance of each species, NOVITATES ZOOLOGICAE XXVII. 1920. 347 be it small or great, and forming the whole into one compact and well-defined family, irrespective of subfamily distinctions. The character to which I refer more particularly is the uniformity of the tail on segment 12, which at that stage is always a noticeable feature, of remarkable length, speedily changing from light to dark in colour, and when examined under the lens found to be rough in surface, frequently bi-lobed at the extremity, and surmounted by a single bristle on each fork. It is in this particular, or rather in the extraordinary variety of tail-formation, the partial or complete loss of this appendage in the succeeding stages, that we behold such striking specific differences. Stage after stage, as the skin is moulted and successive instars reached, does each species, ever true to its kind, exhibit a new form of tail or horn or hump, different from that which preceded it, different from that which is to follow, and in many instances, especially in the fifth and final instar, essentially different in length, thickness, quality, curve, and colour from even its next-of-kin in the same genus. This is most noticeably the case in the genus Xylophones, and perhaps least pronounced in Isognathus, where an exceptionally long whip-like black tail is retained up to the period of pupation, and where the difference between the various species in this one respect becomes more one of degree in length, roughness, and the presence or absence of a white ring or two. It is surely worthy of note, though I will leave it with those better versed in the laws of evolution to draw conclusions, that Isognathus is practically the only genus in Sphingidae, so far as I am aware, that retains the long, rough, flexible tail of the baby caterpillar to the full end of the larval period. Curiously a few deceptive Notodonts possess a very similar appendage. The kindred genera in this same subfamily Sesiinae exhibit very strange diversity of form in the tail, Erinnyis, the next-of-kin with almost identical pupa-form, being characterized by an appurtenance which in alope is like a rounded tusk, in ello and oenotrus like a swollen knob, and then a mere nipple-like point in the last stage. In Oryba achemenides, but not kadeni, it is like a sickle in the fourth instar and only a button or nipple in the final. In Enyo, Aleuron, Madoryx, and Leuco- rhampha, on parallel lines, the tail resembles a curved knife-blade, followed as before by the mere button. Hemeroplanes bears a rather stout grey and curved horn, while Pachylia has a small sharp spike in syces and a thick, blunt, but very diminutive hook in ficus. In Philampelinae the tail of Pholus anchemolus, after being reduced to a fine and absurdly disproportionate black hair in the foregoing instar, disappears altogether in the last. Its relatives Peacus fasciatus and vitis evolve on the same lines, but P. labruscae shows a new development, exchanging the flexible and curled pink filament of the fourth instar for a hard glossy disk, capable of a rapid undulatory movement. The Ambv.licinae, from my restricted acquaintance with their larvae, and the Acherontiinae, where I am more at home, seem in the main to possess what we are accustomed to regard as the normal horn, partaking more or less of the dorsal coloration of the larva or inclining to black, blue, or pink, stiff and stout in construction, though more slender in Ambulicinae, rather erect in posture, incapable of free movement, straight or finely curved, and generally bristling with small setiferous tubercles. Herse cingulata, Protoparce sexta and albiplaga are, however, exceptions to the rule, and, though it be only a matter of degree, exhibit strongly curved and rather smooth horns. In Choerocampinae the variety is so great that I fail in any attempt at description. Suffice it then 34S Novitates Zoologicae XXVII. 1920. to say by way of contrast, that Xylophones gnianensis possesses a broad, thick, and perfectly straight blade-like horn, rough like a file on both upper and lower edges, but smooth on the sides ; while X. mossi in its last instar retains but the merest vestige of a down-turned tail upon the anal flap. True to the principles enunciated by Darwin in The Origin of Species, it is this strongly pronounced but variable feature, representing, as I suppose, the tail or horn possessed by the ancestral Sphinx, and ante-dating the various later evolutionary changes, such as have necessitated subfamily divisions, which has shown the greatest amount of variability in structure throughout the entire family. Nothing short of enlarged photographic diagrams, showing the evolution of the tail of each species during its five successive instars, species after species 6et side by side for comparison, could serve adequately to portray the extra- ordinary degree to which this caudal appendage of the Sphingidae has varied. Coming to the later stages of larval development, colour and design, apart from their adoption as protective measures by resemblance to surrounding objects, seem also frequently, though with a few strange exceptions, to suggest a sequential progression, or at least a circular grouping of species. I refer in the first place to the seven lateral oblique stripes, so characteristic of Sphingidae throughout the world ; to their irregularity in Cocytius ; to the greater regularity of the same in Protoparce, P. albiplaga forming an exception ; to the fixed and constant deviation from the normal type, depending wholly upon the difference of food-plant in Protambidyx strigilis and Sesia ceculus ; to the extension of the seven to an eighth or even ninth stripe in species of Epistor, Sesia, etc. ; to an entirely distinct design in Isognathus, Pseudosphinx, Leucorhampha, and the later stages of Erinnyis ; to their transposition, pointing up towards the head instead of the tail in Pholus and Pachylia, P. resumens forming a most remarkable exception to this ; to their reduction to five in diminishing ratio in Pholus anchemolus and vitis, to six in eacus and their increase to eight in fascialus ; and, finally, to the partial reappearance of the customary seven stripes directed tailwards, when visible at all, in Xylophanes. The presence of a medio-dorsal stripe is again a characteristic attribute, appearing strongly in Cocytius, in many of the genera of Sesiinae, in Philampclinae, and to a partial extent in Choerocampinae, but seldom strongly marked in Protoparce and usually absent. Possibly a still more important and significant feature, specially characterizing the entire subfamily Sesiinae, with or without the addition of the oblique side- stripes, is to be found in the enclosure of the dorsal area by two lines adorning the face and continued at a slightly divergent angle, which then run parallel and unite somewhat more abruptly at the tail. This pattern is totally absent, so far as I know, in Acherontiinae, Ambulicinae, and Philampelinae, but reappears strongly in some species of Choerocampinae. Mere colour counts for but little, I presume, in the matter of classification, being so largely a question of adaptation, but even here there are features worthy of note. Though one occasionally meets with exceptions where the adaptation to surroundings is less perfect than in others, the rule of course holds good that green caterpillars with light stripes are to be found by day among the leaves which they so closely resemble in colour and design, and on which they feed, chiefly at night. Various devices are resorted to for protection during the day Novitates Zooloqicae XXVII. 1920. 349 by caterpillars which are not green, or better, when they cease to be green after any particular moult. It is thus with the later stages of Erinnyis, and more especially with Madoryx and Leucorhampha, the larvae reposing with two or three pairs of claspers tucked up and unused, geometer-fashion, on branch or trunk, where they are by no means easy to detect. It is thus particularly with those species of Xylophones which, while young and green or coloured like the stalk, are well adapted to stay in the neighbourhood of the fresh shoots on which they are feeding. Indeed, a long journey at this stage woidd be not only uncalled- for, but would entail fatigue and danger. Quite the reverse, however, is the case when, by successive moultings, the caterpillar has grown larger and stronger and become brown, maroon, or peat-coloured. Then almost invariably is it only to be found, if searched for by day, on the darkest and shadiest part of the trunk near the ground, or quite frequently, as in the case of X. guianensis, at some distance from the tree, lying on the earth among dead leaves and sticks, an extremely inconspicuous object. The habits of X. anubus, loelia, and tersa, in association with their particular plants, are identical ; but X. porcus and chiron, which remain green to the last, have no need to move and seem to be aware of the fact, finding an umbrella of leaves sufficient protection from rain and sun and from prying eyes. On several occasions I have found X. tersa by way of variety retaining a green coat to the end of its larval period, and then, as though it knew all about the matter, it was perched-up on the top of a spray of Spermacoce in broad daylight, apparently justified for once in ignoring the secretive habits of its kind. Poor X. mossi, which is nearly always " stung," is exceptional in its habits, and would appear to be in a dilemma on account of its bright colour. When young it is reddish-maroon, and there is no doubt that it wonderfully simulates the little tailed red sheaths of the newly-expanding leaves of Pagamea, where it rests and feeds. Sometimes it develops into a grey-green with growth, and it is then equally well situated by remaining among the leaves. Usually, however, the colour turns to a brilliant burnt sienna on the sides with a pink back, lemon-yellow bands on segments 11 and 12, and five (sometimes six) patches of viridian green marking the side-stripes. In this predicament, allowing for the fact that the stems and branches of Pagamea guianensis are of a bright sienna colour also, instead of seeking the shade it elects to stay, but is thus too easily detected if at all exposed to view. In the case of the highly ornate larvae of Pseudosphinx and Isognathus, there is generally no attempt at concealment beyond selecting the under-surface of a Plumiera leaf for shade, and sometimes frequenting the trunk or branches in the blazing sun. As the well-known arrangement of warning colours largely enters into their composition, alternating belts of black and white, or black with yellow stripes and red heads, touches of blue or mauve, etc., I presume that they are not wanted, and they certainly behave as though they were aware of the fact. In this immediate connection it is interesting to note, the exception incidentally proving the rule, that there are at least two members of the group which act differently in this respect, Isognathus scyron and allamandae. These larvae are of a grey-brown colour and distinctly dowdy by comparison with their more gaily- attired congeners, invariably hiding away in perfect concealment during the day on the dull branches or among the roots of Allamanda cathartica. They are not Plumiera feeders like the rest, and it is significant that they should be almost 23 350 Novitates Zoologicae XXVII. 1920. the only species of the group which I have noted as being occasionally stung by both dipterous and hymenopterous parasites. The mimicry of small snakes, if one is right in using the term, is a marvel- lously pronounced feature in some species, and is to be had to perfection in certain members of the Sesiinae subfamily, such as Madoryx and Leucorhampha, in Pholus labruscae as an exceptional development in Philampelinae, and again very specially in many species of Choerocampinae. As, however, this resem- blance is effected by slightly, or extremely, different methods in almost every case, I prefer to reserve the subject to individual treatment in connection with the species thus enhanced. (2) Peculiarities of their Excrement. The next point upon which I wish to touch is the peculiarity of the excrement or frass of Sphingid larvae, which though constructed, as I suppose, upon a fundamentally uniform plan, and very similar to that produced by Notodonts, Saturniids, etc., is strikingly different in distinct species, and very often acts not only as a guide to the whereabouts of a larva, but informs the practised collector in advance of its precise identity as a species. By this I do not mean to infer that every single species can thus be discriminated in advance, but that by previous acquaintance with the larva, its habits and its association with some particular form of plant-life, the colour, size, shape, and general character of the excrement will, in the majority of instances, if carefully observed, betray the genus and very likely the exact species. I know too little of the digestive organs of larvae to say exactly what takes place, but the model upon which the excrement is constructed, a pellet of hexagonal and tripartite form with a central core, is well illustrated by that which is produced by Cocytius in the final instar. At this stage, in antaeus and cluentius at least, it invariably breaks up at the moment of extrusion into 21 small brown fragments. In duponchel the pellet more often falls to the ground whole, but being of a dry character, and the divisions being well marked, it very readily breaks up as before into 21 pieces. For brevity I must confine my remarks to the last larval instar. In Herse the excrement is of an opposite character, being blue-black in colour, soft and wet, and consequently so far welded into one piece as largely to obscure the hexagonal design. This is even more the case in the genus Xylophanes, where many species deposit stiff black or dark brown pellets of enormous and seemingly impossible dimensions, and where the minute leaf-fragments are welded most compactly, layer upon layer in rough oval formation, showing but a trace, if anything, of the hexagonal design and nothing at all of the tripartite divisions or the core. It is no exaggeration to say that in the cases of X. guianensis, anubus, and mossi, for example, these pellets frequently approach an inch in length, and are proportionately thick. In these instances, though the larvae grow with exceptional rapidity, mossi never exceeding five days in its final instar and still fewer in each of the four previous stages, the number of pellets rarely exceeds 6 or 8 in the 24 hours. Conversely with other species where the excrement is small and neatly hexagonal, Sesia titan and fatbits, for example, will drop 50 or 60 pellets in the same time. P. sexta is a good illustration of this, being a hardy, voracious, and almost continuous feeder ; but of the Novitates Zoolooicae XXVII. 1920. 351 excrement of Protoparce in general it may be said that it is moderate in amount, well-proportioned to the size of the larva, fairly regular in form, and in colour dark brown, yellow, or green, largely in accordance with the nature of the particular plant upon which the caterpillar has been feeding. In Protambidyx the excrement of strigilis and eurycles is small and light green, the hexagonal form being subdivided and giving it an exceedingly regular appearance. This character is shared by Oryba and to a limited extent by Pachylia, in both of which cases the frass, though large, is not excessive for such big larvae. In Oryba kadeni and achemenides the colour is light brown, and as it does not readily grow mouldy it is wont to retain its form for months after the larvae have pupated. Its position beneath bushes of Palicourea or Ourouparia, as the case may be, coupled with its size and general formation, leaves one in no doubt as to the identity of the species, even if, as too often happens, one is too late to discover the whereabouts of the particular caterpillar. The excrement of Erinnyis and Isognathus is rather small, that of Pseudo- sphinx somewhat elongate, hard and black, with sharp angular projections and frequently bent. Pholus produces very large soft pellets of a light or dark green coloration with the hexagonal form obscured but not obliterated. So much at any rate for a subordinate branch of the subject, which, if not the most savoury, is by no means devoid of scientific interest and is well worth the attention of the student of larval habits and early stages, as it so often leads to new discoveries. (3) Method of Pupation. Turning to the different methods employed in the formation of puparia, a few brief general remarks are all that are necessary. I notice in the first place that digging at the roots of trees for pupae is not only extremely arduous work, but that so far as Para is concerned it is next to useless, as the larvae of almost all species wander some distance on the ground and can seldom be traced. Many are subterranean, and, judging from their habits in captivity, do not hesitate to burrow deep into the earth to form their puparia in a loam that is sufficiently plastic to enable them to dispense with silk in the construction. So far as my experience goes, the entire subfamilies Acherontiinae, Ambulicinae, and Philarnpelinae behave in this way. In Choerocampinae the method is different, the larvae of Xylophanes never really entering the earth, but pupating at some distance from the food-plant on the surface of the soil, and being simply protected by scraps of growing or dead vegetation spun together by a few strands of strong glutinous silk to form a covering. It is in the subfamily Sesiinae that we see the greatest divergence in the method of pupation. All the species can, I imagine, produce silk, and some actually do produce a considerable quantity to form their cocoons. In Oryba, Epistor, Perigonia, and Sesia subterranean methods are adopted, and the quantity of silk is negligible. In Pachylia, Erinnyis, Pseudosphinx, Leucorhampha, Enyo, and Aleuron the species pupate in a loosely-spun cocoon formed on the surface of the earth among dead leaves and the roots of grass, etc. ; while in Isognathus and Madoryx, though it be but a matter of degree, a very considerable and completely closed-up cocoon is spun, not infrequently in the crevice of a tree- 352 Novitates Zoolooicae XXVII. 1920. trunk or on rotten wood, any particles of debris within reach being used, as we should expect, to stiffen the web and render it inconspicuous. (4) Form, Design, and Colour oj Pupae. Referring to the pupae themselves, I can but once again go through the list and indicate the standard types, showing the lines on which species or genera vary from one another. In general, however, it is worthy of note that all the subterranean pupae, be they black, red-brown, or light mahogany in colour, are nearly uniform in tint and devoid of external ornament; whereas those species which spin cocoons, and remain more or less exposed to the light, are in most cases adorned with a freckled or linear arrangement of markings. The exceptions to this are to be found in such genera as Pachylia and Leucorhampha, where the pupae, though highly lustrous, are of a uniform light or dark brown, and Madoryx, where they are of a dead black, relieved by bands of ochre-yellow in the interstices of two or three segments. In Acherontiinae all the pupae vary slightly between a dark vinous and a yellowish brown, and are more or less glazed. Besides the cremaster, already referred to as possessing highly important, even if minute, specific characters, there is also throughout this entire subfamily the free but immobile proboscis-sheath, providing further good differentiating features between the species by the peculiarities of its lateral ridges and its curve, as well as its length and thickness ; but I am bound to acknowledge that this difference is exceedingly slight between some of the species of Protoparce. In Herse the sheath makes a double turn and is readily distinguished from all others. In Gocytius it is various, being a single but stout and well-protruded loop in antaeus and duponchel, while cluentius possesses a complete spiral like a small clock-spring or Ionic volute, owing to its greater length. It has been a surprise and regret to me that after so long a time in the district I have been unable to trace the early stages of htcifer and the rarer species beelzebuth and Amphimoea walkeri, and can therefore say nothing with certainty about their larvae or pupae. A large dried pupa in the Tring Museum, possessing a big single-loop proboscis-sheath, Dr. Jordan thinks can be referred to no other species than A. walkeri, but the data are absent. With the afore-mentioned genus Protoparce the sheath assumes a big bold curve in rustica and perplexa, is ample but more slender in sexta, diffissa, hannibal, and mossi, shorter but stouter in albiplaga and lichenea. In the genera Eury glottis, Hyloicus, and Neogene, so far as my experience goes, though none are found in Para, this sheath is simply a small turned-down piece lying in juxtaposition to the abdominal cases, as in the common Privet and Pine Hawks of Europe. The plain light brown chrysalis-form, more or less elegantly curved, without free proboscis-sheath and differentiated by many slight variations — such as the precise tone of colour and degree of glaze — is shared by many species in common belonging to the three central subfamilies. Such features characterize Pro- tambulyx, Pachylia, Oryba, and Pholus ; while Madoryx, Leucorhampha, Epistor, Perigonia, Sesia, etc., approximate to one another in darker hues. On the other hand, a certain standard pattern is adopted by Isognathus, Erinnyis, Grammodia, Enyo, and Aleuron, where the ground-colour varies between a Novitates Zooloqioae XXVII. 1920. 353 reddish yellow and a light straw yellow, and the entire surface, which is highly glazed, is more or less heavily adorned with tar-black lines and spots. In Xylophanes an absolutely distinct type prevails in an elegantly-shaped but generally not very lustrous bone-coloured chrysalis, possessing a fine black line down the front to delineate the proboscis-case, an interrupted rnedio-dorsal line in black or brown, big black spots enclosing the spiracles which are of a dull red, while the rest of the surface is freckled by light umber patches and finely-pencilled lines and dots of a deeper hue. We have already stated that the cremaster stands first and foremost as a distinguishing character ; and as with the variations exhibited in the tails or horns of the larvae, so here a complete enlarged diagrammatic representation of the cremasters of all Sphingidae for comparison, group by group, is a decided want, and would form an adjunct to the evolutionary study of the family of the highest importance. Speaking generally, however, for a moment, and by way of leading up to the last phase of the subject with which I wish to deal, and which I trust will be found by no means the least important or the least interesting, I must first make reference to such items in my collection where I am still in the dark as regards their early stages. Some few of these have occurred singly and rarely as moths, and, providing no clue, have defied all my repeated attempts to investigate their origins. A few others have only been taken once or twice in the larval condition and subsequently bred. Some have been chance finds, in the first instances at any rate, while others have only been found after diligent and prolonged searching, and by testing to the fullest extent possible every hint which the first discovery seemed to suggest in regard to food-plant and locality. This has involved an increasing acquaintance with the botany of the district, and in this department I have at all times received most valuable information from the enlightened authorities of our local Museum and Botanic Gardens. I refer to Mr. F. Ducke, Miss Snethlage, and the late Dr. Huber, — a botanist of world-renown, whose untimely death through appendicitis in 1913 was a deplorable loss to the science, and whose skilled aid, in conjunction with that of the afore-mentioned friends, has to me been invaluable as an introduction to this vast study. The Flora Brasiliensis, an extensive series of volumes, but still largely incomplete, especially as regards Para, has also at times been useful. Finally, the authorities of the Botanical Department at South Kensington have on several occasions, when consulted, been most kind in rendering expert advice in the matter of identification. To one and all I am greatly indebted. It has perhaps given us all some extra work, but it has not been labour wasted, for by the mutual interchange of thoughts, ideas, and information on any given subject related to one's own particular study, knowledge has been disseminated, and our conceptions as individuals in our own lines of research have been broadened and amplified. Not infrequently also has the co-ordination of scientific facts in the realms of botany and entomology, which in their interdependence run on marvellously parallel lines, led to a happy readjustment of ideas that aforetime were hazy, and to the correction of positive errors. Hardly less important has been the marking of certain exact spots in the great border-line of knowledge which man has not yet passed, but which with time and patience, " by mutual sympathy 354 NOVITATES ZOOLOGICAE XXVII. 1920. and mutual aid," he assuredly can encompass. I refer, for example, to quite a number of plants and insects which are still unknown to science, and conse- quently as yet possess no specific names, though their genera may be obvious. I refer also to a perfect host of lepidoptera, where some species are still waiting for a name and an approximately correct family status, and where anything like a full and complete system of classification, whatever else may count, must comprise some elementary acquaintance with early stages. In Europe, where so much has been done, and where the material is so meagre by comparison with the tropics of America, we are apt to imagine that if only we go about the matter in the right way, some one can surely be found who will be able to tell us all about the butterflies and moths of the latter continent. Nothing could be further from the truth ; and yet it was some such idea that I myself entertained before I went out to Peru in 1907 and found that in this, as in other matters, there was no high-road to knowledge, no pleasant hand-books of botany and. entomology, and no collector's guide to the district. What one does find is the wealth of Nature's resources which baffle description, coupled with an array of unforeseen difficulties and drawbacks which equally thwart one in the endeavour to wrest from her more than a mere tithe of her secrets. While making due allowance for all the splendid scholarly works on insects in general, and especially for those on particular groups and families, that have yet been published, the fact remains that the early stages of very many species of Lepidoptera, including some of the most beautiful forms in the natural creation, some of the most curious, some of the most grotesque in their marvellous adapta- tion to environment, are still, in the great majority of instances, unknown to science. If you have a collection of exotic Lepidoptera you may, by visiting one or other of the standard collections of the world, experience but little difficulty in getting most of your specimens named with a correct Latin designation as to family, subfamily, genus, and species, and you may also learn much as to the range of distribution which any particular species enjoys. But when it comes to the question of early stages, with even the most willing and enlightened of informants, there is often no one who can tell you in a thousand instances what the caterpillar looked like, what it fed upon, whether there was anything beyond the ordinary in its method of pupation or the egg-laying of its mother, or indeed anything at all about its habits as a living organism. Herein to me lies the intense interest of the quest, but when all this is unknown more than half the interest of a collection of moths vanishes. Having collected now for more than thirty years, with an ever-increasing enthusiasm as experience became enlarged, I have come more and more to regard a big collection with feelings akin to dismay. Though it be the outward and visible result of years of patient toil, in itself, and apart from other considerations, it can impart such limited information about that great world of life which lies behind it. The collection, without doubt, is highly necessary and important as a library of reference, case after case is very beautiful, a species here and there and now and again a whole genus exceptionally so, while another set are dull and monotonously alike to the untrained eye. But whether showy or plain, the fact looms larger than it once did that it is a cemetery of corpses, more or less well-embalmed and preserved, and, if well- ordered, possessing a number of interesting memorial tablets and epitaphs ! The mournfulness of the spectacle is of course considerably diminished and the Novitates Zoolooicae XXVII. 1920. 355 interest sustained when whole families are entombed together under glass to facilitate the study of the comparative anatomy of their mummied remains, and especially when the epitaphs are generous enough to afford not only the name but the birth-place and date of decease ! Lest, however, I should shock any orthodox mind by such profane sentiments, let me at once call myself to order with an apology for my tangential wanderings and for discoursing at such length, and let me proceed to give some of those touches from the life, with which, at any rate, no one can quarrel, however much he may deplore the limitation of such information as is now available. (5) Sphingid Larvae and their Food-plants. We come then, finally, to a phase of the subject which has long appeared to me to be one of intense interest and importance — namely, Sphingid larvae and their means of sustenance. In a land that is nearly all forest, where the vegetation is rife and luxuriant, where in hundreds of cases one tree bears the strongest outward resemblance to another, but where, nevertheless, the range of absolutely distinct species in particular localities is in reality so great as seemingly to equal the number of individual items of plant life which greet the vision, it is not unnatural to inquire how is one in such a labyrinth of green to find out the names of particular species. How indeed, unless sooner or later one can come into touch with some very experienced informant ! But in truth, the finding of a name, the necessary symbol of communication though it be, is not the first point in order of importance. What I mean to emphasize by saying this is the paramount importance of first adjusting the eye to those nice shades of difference in plant-life which distinguish closely-allied species, and, still more important, species not at all allied but belonging to different Orders, and bearing often an extraordinary superficial resemblance to one another. The bewildering tangle of growth which characterizes the Amazonian forest not unnaturally tends to obscure its less prominent details ; and it is only after weeks, perhaps months, of experience in the same locality, that one is able to form some rough mental classification, and focus one's eyes upon individual objects. Then with the observation-faculties intensified, one learns by degrees to be less led by appearances, and to appraise at their true worth those characteristics which are more fundamental and which bind together in one great Natural Order many forms outwardly dissimilar. The specially-favoured locality selected by different trees and plants also calls for attention, be it the humidity and shade of overhanging matto-growth with its rich soil of decayed vegetation, or the region specialized by tabatinga clay or white sand, the sun-scorched dry and open " campo," the " capoeira " or simple woodland, the " igapo " or forest swamp, or the land to a greater or less extent under cultivation with its fruit-bearing trees, each special in itself, and each with a varied and specialized flora and fauna attached. In fact, to put the matter shortly, an abundance of quiet field-work with the closest observation of almost everything is undoubtedly the first requisite. Then it is time to secure a few names, if these have not already been obtained ; and if the species, and perhaps the genus too, cannot readily be identified, one ia seldom so out of luck's way as not to learn at least the Natural Order, which, 356 NOVITATES ZOOLOGIOAE XXVII. 1920. as I shall endeavour to show, is often the most valuable of the three, and ought always to be recorded when possible. On procuring some desirable caterpillar, my plan is generally to take it home in a tin with a sufficient amount of its special plant to serve as food, and also a good sample-specimen to dry and preserve for future identification, not forgetting to note down its association with that particular larva. One speedily learns that it is often not possible thus to identify the plant without its flower, so this too should be sought for, though it is sometimes tiring and disappointing work. Further discoveries reveal the same larva, it may be, upon a number of distinct species which ultim- ately prove to belong to the same Order, or to one in the same general group of plants. The recognition of this alliance in the plant-world next offers a clue which, if followed up, not infrequently leads to the discovery of an allied caterpillar upon a kindred plant, and little by little one learns, for example, that an entire lepidopterous genus is associated with some particular genus of plants, or is at least confined to the group. Equally worthy of note is it that allied genera in the same lepidopterous subfamily are in frequent instances similarly restricted to one and the same Natural Order of plant-life. The last point in this connection is no less striking — namely, that an occasional instance occurs where an Order like Vitaceae, or possibly a single genus of that Order like Cissus, or the common grape-vine itself, will serve as a pabulum for species so distinct as to represent no fewer than three different subfamilies like Sesiinae, Philampelinae, and Choerocampinae, though this of course is very exceptional. The result of all these revelations has been to emphasize in my mind the great importance of the Natural Order, to give it always in this connection the place of precedence over generic or specific distinctions, and to work for the discovery of the larvae of those species which still remain unknown largely upon the analogous principle that they will probably some day be found to be associated with some plant or plants closely akin to those already known as the food-plants of kindred species in the lepidopterous world. I will give three examples in application : (1) Seeing that three species of Cocytius in nature feed on at least six species of Anonaceae, and perhaps a great many more, it is highly probable that the remaining two in Para, together with the closely-allied Amphimoea walkeri, are also Anonaceous feeders. Up to the present, however, this species with Cocytius lucifer and beelzebuth have only occurred as moths, and I have to confess my inability to trace their larvae. (2) In Para we have three species of Protambulyx and three of Amplypterus, and the whole six appear to be closely allied to one another. By exploring the caju tree, Anacardium occidentale, and the taperiba, Spondias lutea, and at least three other wild species belonging to this same Order Anacardiaceae, I have very often come across larvae sufficiently varied to convince me that I had secured different species, and as often have I been doomed to disappointment by breeding nothing but typical P. strigiiis. By continuing, however, to work on this principle, I have at last succeeded in finding the larva of P. eurycles on an Anacardiaceous tree like the ash, locally known as " tapiririca." The moth is common enough to leave me still wondering why its larva does not turn up more frequently, while as for P. goeldii and the genus Amplypterus I am yet no further advanced. (3) Out of 12 species of Xylophanes in Para I have taken the larvae of 7, NOTITATEa Zoolooicab XXVII. 1920. 357 and, though two can feed on plants of distinct Orders, all but one in nature have been found associated with Rubiaceae — such as Spermacoce, Palicourea, Psychotria, etc. There is, therefore, a fair presumption at least that all the remainder are Rubiaceous feeders, and that in proportion as the alliance between any two or more is close, so are their larvae likely to be found feeding on these same plants or on species close akin. Perhaps the most striking exception to the general rule is to be found in Protoparce, which as a genus is commonly associated with Solanaceae, but where albiplaga seems to be limited to Boraginaceae and Anonaceae, the latter seeming to suggest a connection with Cocytius, which is extremely interesting. P. lichenea I have only taken on Citharexylutn, a Verbenaceous plant, while the common rustica associates itself with many plants in Verbenaceae, Boraginaceae, Bignoniaceae, and Oleaceae, but never with Solanaceae. Among the remainder of my acquaintance P. sexta, hannibal, and the rare perplexa are occasionally seen to be sustained in nature by two or three species of Aegiphila, another Verbenaceous genus, in place of their more customary Solanaceous plants. In the Andes of Peru I found the larvae of Euryglottis davidianus associated with Boraginaceae and Bignoniaceae, and as Euryglottis comes next in order to Protoparce it is highly instructive, providing a wealth of suggestion to the explorer, to learn that botanists group Boraginaceae, Bignoniaceae, Verbenaceae, and Solanaceae together in the series Bicarpellatae of the Gamopetalae. So once again our exception hardly does more than prove the rule. One is naturally led to suppose that there are important ingredients in the chemical composition of the leaf which are shared alike by all these plants, though so seemingly diverse in form, and that this nutritious principle is essential to the life not only of Protoparce, but of other species of other genera in Acherontiinae. Here, surely, is the evidence of design, to be accounted for as Darwin did by some grand evolutionary modifications in both plant and insect, running on parallel lines and reaching back into the remote ages of the past. Coming to present times, however, and allowing for the exceptions which greatly increase the number of those Natural Orders selected to provide food for Sphingid larvae, it is a striking and significant fact, and one which came to me as a revelation of analysis, that of the 63 Para Sphingidae whose early stages have been revealed, leaving at least another 27 where they have not, no fewer than 17 are associated in nature with Apocynaceae, 14 with Rubiaceae, 8 with Vitaceae, 7 with the gamopetalous Bicarpellatae, and the remainder as follows : Dilleniaceae 4, Anonaceae 4, Moraceae 3, Onagraceae, Euphorbiaceae, Papayaceae, Anacardiaceae, and Asclepiadaceae 2 each ; Convolvulaceae, Piperaceae, Sapotaceae, Polygonaceae, Melastornaceae, Loganiaceae, and Vochysiaceae 1 each. Though I have occasion to refer to several other species of Sphingidae beyond the above 90, I naturally exclude them from my Para statistics. They form, as it were, a supplement, too small to stand by themselves, and too in- teresting to be ignored simply because they happened to live, one of them at Pernambuco, one in the Antilles, one at Iquitos, and three others anywhere from 500 to 1,000 miles up the Amazon. In conclusion I may say that, with the Sphingidae as one of my keenest specialities for a long period, I have striven to gather together every scrap of possible information relating to the life-histories of such species as have come under my notice. With this then, for the present, I must ask my readers to 358 Novitates Zoolooicae XXVII. 1920. be content, and wait in hope for that day when errors shall be corrected and a few more gaps filled. Paha, January 1919. GENERAL CONDITIONS. Under this heading I have briefly sketched a number of more or less dis- jointed facts and figures, which may enable the reader more readily to picture Para and appreciate its advantages and disadvantages as an entomological centre. Such notes are often of considerable use to the practical collector. Belem (Para), with a population of about 120,000, is the capital of Para, the third largest State in Brazil, and is situated 1° 27' south latitude by 48° 30' west longitude. Though nominally at the mouth of the Amazon, a glance at a large-scale map will show that the main bulk of Amazon water reaches the sea north of the great delta island of Marajo, whereas Para stands near the confluence of a distinct river-system, the immense Rio Tocantins proceeding from South Brazil, the Moju, the Acara, the Capim, the Guama, and the Guajara. All these rivers are tidal and, with the exception of the Tocantins, very muddy, the rise and fall being 8 feet for neap tides and over 12 for spring tides. The general elevation above sea-level is only a few feet, the highest part of the city being about 40 feet. Pictorial Aspect. — Faced on west and south by Ilha das Oncas and innumer- able other islands, which partake of much the same character as the swampy part of the mainland. Backed closely on other sides by unlimited matto, an impenetrable jungle of virgin forest growth. Immediate south-east and east largely igapo or swamp region, practically impassable, even in the paths cut by seringueiros (rubber gatherers), after heavy rain or high tides. Railway cuttings through the matto run north to Pinheiro, passing through a tract of very white sand with a modified vegetation at kilometre 11, and in a north- easterly direction to Braganca. Roads leading from the city among the palm- thatched and humble dwellings of the caboclos (people of more or less Indian origin), towards the rivers or the forest, are known as travessas. These include many small fruit-gardens which generally abut on second-growth forest. Most of the travessas are broad, are cut at regular intervals, and are intersected by others on the rectangular block principle. They are the streets of a larger city in the making, but are still covered with grass and weeds like Spermacoce, etc., some being used for pasturage, and parts of some being distinctly swampy. The forest is divided by a network of igarapes (small tributary streams), the majority being muddy and subject to the rise and fall of tide, while a few are peat-coloured and clear with sandy bottoms, owing to a slightly increased elevation. Unlike the Isle of Marajo, which possesses broad, open campos for cattle- grazing, our open spaces are very limited in number and extent, and are probably all of artificial origin. The " Bosque," situated outside the city at Marco da Legua, is a decent tract of original matto or forest, about 500 metres square, intersected by shaded paths and adorned with fountains and shelters as a resort for the public. Its conservation represents a degree of good taste and foresight which is somewhat exceptional in this part of the world. The Morphos NOVITATES ZOOLOGICAE XXVII. 1920. 359 and other woodland butterflies are often to be seen here, and not infrequently have I here procured some larva of worth upon the undergrowth, or detected the presence of others altogether beyond my reach in the highest trees by their excrement scattered over the sandy paths. The public prafas, squares, and gardens of the place are characterized by many trees imported from other countries, chief amongst which may be mentioned the Mango and Ficus benjamina as shade-trees in the streets, the banana in all its forms, and a number of oranges and lemons. These, coupled with certain flowering plants, garden palms, and other importations like Artocarpus, the " Jaca " and the bread-fruit tree, etc., naturally tend to produce in the mind of the visitor a completely erroneous impression in regard to the really indigenous flora of this part of Brazil. Owing to the kindness of Miss Dr. Snethlage and of Sr. Rudolpho Siqueira Rodrigues of the Museu Goeldi, I am enabled to give some interesting statistics in regard to the climatic conditions of Para for the past eight years, 1911 to 1918 inclusive. Bainfall. Temperature (Centigrade). Hygrometer (per cent.). Millimetres. Days of rain. Maximum. Minimum. Medium. 1911 88 2,550-2 272 33-6 21-4 25-4 1912 86 2,918-3 323 33-4 21-9 25-3 1913 88 2,616-8 280 33-6 21-6 25-5 1914 88 2,299-6 252 34-6 21-4 25-6 1915 89 2,042-3 215 34-6 21-7 26-3 1916 89 2,638-4 218 32-9 221 25-6 1917 89 2,809-7 248 320 220 25-8 1918 89 2,541-6 238 21-4 = 26- 1 = Fahren heit 90-7 70-5 790 The above figures indicate that in relation to its proximity to the equator, Para possesses a remarkably high degree of atmospheric humidity, frequently reaching' a state of absolute saturation, and as a direct consequence an excep- tionally moderate and uniform temperature. This is roughly 80° Farenheit in the shade of one's living-apartments throughout the year. The wet season normally begins during the second half of December and ends with May. The hottest month is nearly always November, the wettest February or March, and the coolest period from July to October inclusive. In 1916 and 1917, however, July was an exceptionally hot month, as was the close of August in 1918. The wet season is accompanied by much thunder and lightning and by many very heavy, but only occasionally prolonged, falls of rain. It is to be noted that even during the dry season there is seldom a week or ten days without any rain, but that then the rains are more regular to time of day and of short duration. The result is perennial green and a vegetation which seldom hangs limp. Though times have changed considerably since the days when Dr. Alfred Russel Wallace and Mr. Bates spent their six months in Para, living near the village church of Nazareth in a wooden hut at the delightful price of 30 milreis a month, and though the population has probably trebled since then, there are still a few ancient landmarks. The Nazareth Praca, for example, is still there, 360 Novitates Zoolooicae XXVII. 1920. but is now, of course, a definite part of the city, surrounded on all sides by houses. The church of their day has long been replaced by a larger edifice, close to which I myself lived for some months. This is still so popularly attended that it is now giving way once again to a more spacious building of very greatly improved solidity and architectural form. The famous Nazareth Festa, though degenerate in its cheap-jack association and modern cinema shows, is still the great feature of the place every year as October comes round ; we still drink purple " assahy " with or without " farinha " ; and still, most assuredly to an increased extent, have our nerves shattered by innumerable rockets, fired off at the slightest pretext at all hours of day and night. The old city of Belem, with its fine cathedral and castello, can have changed but little in outward appearance since 1848 ; but though the chief markets are still at Veropeso, the centre of the city, territorially speaking, is to-day marked by the Largo da Polvora, the Theatro, Cafe da Paz, and Grand Hotel, the last two providing excellent accommodation for visitors. Close to this, and leading towards the beautiful Largo de Baptista Campos, in former days all wild matto, is the ancient British cemetery, dating from 1815, where, through the generosity of English banks, business houses, and especially Messrs. Booth & Co., I was enabled in 1912 to build a small English church. The old mud-stretches of the Para river fronting the city have now, with the exception of the Veropeso dock, all been mercifully buried beneath many thousand tons of clean sand, a factor which has contributed largely, not only to the appearance, but to the health of the place, not one case of yellow fever, so far as I am aware, having originated here since the early months of 1911. A bad name dies hard, and at this late date it is really surprising to find so many persons of education who know nothing of Para's charms, and who merely regard it as a mud-stretch and a death-trap to the white man. Though hot and lacking the salt sea-breezes of towns on the coast, there is probably no pleasanter or more comfortable place in the north of Brazil than Para, none so up-to-date, and none that is freer of fevers and epidemics. As in other parts, there is, of course, the ever-present malaria of the tropics, but it constitutes no serious menace to Europeans passing through or settled in the city. Camping out in the forest without a mosquito-net is of course to be avoided ; but with some such preventitive, which is always a comfort whether in town or country, there is really nothing to be feared. The rickety wooden trapiches or piers of former days have now been replaced by a stout wharf of concrete, upon which stand a number of great corrugated- iron sheds. Alongside these lie tethered not only river boats but ocean liners with a draught of 20 feet or more, which continue their journey for a thousand miles up-river to Manaos. Boats drawing from 16 to 18 feet of water proceed to Iquitos in Peru, no less than 2,200 miles from the Atlantic, so immense in breadth and depth, as well as in length, is this South American Mediterranean. Finally, Para is to-day magnificently served throughout by an adequate supply of speedy electric cars, called " bonds," not to mention the ubiquitous automobile, 300 of them at least; and the well-built houses and well-paved streets, which in the main are distinctly above the South American average, are brilliantly illuminated by electricity. Novitates Zooloqioae XXVII. 1920. 361 NOTES ON THE SPECIES. Having already dealt at considerable length with so many general questions touching not only the characteristics of genera but the individuality of species, repetition would be superfluous ; and as some of these species are common and well known, my notes on them can well afford to be brief and scrappy, and must be regarded as merely supplementary to what has gone before. The Detail Index, which comes later, provides, so far as I have found it possible, the full list of local food-plants with their localized popular names, if any ; but I have refrained, as inconsistent with the title of the present work, from intro- ducing the names of those particular plants which serve the species in regions remote, but which either do not grow in Para, or are seldom, if ever, selected as the natural food-supply in this part of the world. For descriptions of the moths, their general range of distribution, as also their subspecific or geographical differences, matters which do not come within the scope of my treatise, I must in all cases refer my readers to the work by Lord Rothschild and Dr. Jordan, entitled " A Revision of the Lepidopterous Family Sphingidae," issued as a Supplement to Vol. IX. of the Novitates Zoologicae of Tring, England, in 1903. The species are here numbered according to the Catalogue. T.Z.8. is an abbreviation for Transactions of Zoological Society, London, vol. xx. pt. 2, and refers to Plates in Sphingidae of Peru. N.B. — Larvae are described throughout as possessing 13 segments, the head, for uniformity's sake, counting as No. 1, the leg or thoracic segments being Nos. 2, 3, and 4, the post-thoracic segments 5 and 6, the clasper segments 7, 8, 9, and 10, the tail or horn being situated on the back of 12, and the anal flap and claspers constituting segment 13. Subfamily ACHERONTIINAE . 4. Herse cingulata. (Plates T.Z.S.) R. & J. p. 10. Larva secretive in habits and seldom met with except by systematic searching. In colour, markings, and form up to fourth moult resembles Protoparce with a straight horn. In final stage very different, possessing curved horn and usually more brown than green, but widely variable. Moth common at light in Para, but I have not observed it at flowers like II. convolvuli in Europe. 33. Cocytius cluentius. (Plates 1 & 2.) R. & J. p. 54. A common species in Para, the moth in both sexes often appearing at electric arc lamps. Larva twice found feeding on Piper aduncum, a seemingly strange departure from the customary Anonaceae, Biribd, Oraviola, Araticu, etc. ; a somewhat pronounced aromatic odour being the only apparent feature in common between the two Orders. Young larva dull sage-green and white, side-strijies irregular in length and 362 NOVITATES ZOOLOGICAE XXVII. 1920. breadth, and merging into the medio-dorsal band in a series of Vs. Fourth instar with fine, light, and scattered hairs, and minute yellow tubercles on thoracic segments, especially segment 2. A couple of broad and composite bands, which are conspicuous by their nebulous whiteness and great length, spring from the base of the post-thoracic segments, with three others in rapidly diminishing ratio in front, and all merge in narrow V-formation into the white medio-dorsal line. Three others, very faintly indicated on a deep green ground, represent the customary fourth, fifth, and sixth side-stripes, while the seventh leading up to the horn is once more marked by a nebulous white band which stands out conspicuously, but melts away into a bluish ground. Horn emerald and glazed with small yellow setiferous tubercles. Anal portion dull blue, but flap brightly edged with yellow-green. In adult stage uniformly hairy like antaeus, but always very white. Description in R. & J. correct but deficient. Pupa, like all in Acherontiinae, subterranean and bright mahogany in colour. The proboscis- sheath is so long that it makes as much as 2\ concentric turns in the form of an Ionic volute. Length of proboscis very variable : in female moth &\ to 10} in., in