EXPLANATION OF PLATE X (Except when otherwise indicated the specimens figured are in the collection of W. J. Holland.) I. Rothschildia orizaba Westwood, . 9. IO. Malacosoma disstria Hübner, ♂, U. S. N. M. II. Malacosoma californica Packard, ♂. 12. Malacosoma americana Fabricius, 9, U. S. N. M. in a long series of specimens collected in the same locality. I have one or two fine melanic specimens, in which the wings are almost wholly black on the upper side. Albino specimens are also occasionally found. Genus SATURNIA Schrank This genus is represented in our fauna by a single species. (1) Saturnia mendocino Behrens, Plate XII, Fig. 6, 8. (The Mendocino Silk-moth.) The insect inhabits northern California, where it is not uncommon. The larva feeds upon Arctostaphylos tomentosa. Genus AUTOMERIS Hübner Four species of this genus occur within our borders. Three of them we figure on our plates. The other, Automeris zelleri Grote & Robinson, may be distinguished from those we give by its much greater size, the female expanding fully five inches across the wings, and having three broad brown bands parallel to the margin of the hind wing, a large blind ocellus in the middle of that wing, and the fore wings purplish brown, marked with darker brown spots at the base, the end of the cell, and on the limbal area. (1) Automeris pamina Neumægen, Plate IX, Fig. 6, 3. (The Pamina Moth.) The figure we give is taken from an example of the form called aurosea by Neumogen, in which the hairs along the inner margin of the hind wings are somewhat more broadly rosy red than in the specimens which he indicated as typical. The specimen was labeled by, and obtained from, the author of the species. (2) Automeris zephyria Grote, Plate VIII, Fig. 5, 9. (The Zephyr Silk-moth.) This beautiful insect which is found in New Mexico, is well delineated in our plate, and may easily be discriminated from other species by the white transverse lines of the fore wings. (3) Automeris io Fabricius, Plate IX, Fig. 4, 8, Fig. 5, 9. (The lo Moth.) Syn. corollaria Perry; varia, Walker; fabricii, Boisduval; argus Neumagen & Dyar. |