GONODONTA.—THYATIRA. 257 
The following species was overlooked when my remarks on this genus were written :— 
16. Gonodonta elegans, sp.n. (Tab. XXVI. fig. 1.) 
Primaries pale glossy fawn-colour, almost yellow at the base, the costal margin broadly bordered with white 
from the apex almost to the base, a narrow white line crossing the wing from the costa to the inner 
margin close to the base, and an indistinct submarginal whitish line extending from the apex to the anal 
angle, the outer margin whitish; secondaries pale primrose-colour, broadly bordered with black from the 
apex to near the anal angle; the underside of both wings very pale yellowish-white, slightly dusky near 
the apex of the primaries: head, thorax, and abdomen greyish, the tips of the palpi yellow; antenne 
yellowish-brown ; legs yellowish-white. Expanse 1? inch. 
Hab. Mexico, Jalapa (Schaus); Guatemata, San Gerénimo (Champion).—SovutH-East 
BRAZIL. | 
A very distinct species, of which I have only seen four specimens, two from our 
country and two from Rio Janeiro. It is allied to G. sinaldus, Guén. 
Fam. NOCTUIDZ. 
The number of species included by authors in the Noctuide is very great, and repre- 
sentatives of the family inhabit all parts of the globe. The arrangement here adopted 
is that of Guénée, and it is the one upon which Walker based his Catalogue. Many of 
the genera are very unsatisfactorily defined, and the same remark applies to some of 
the numerous “ subfamilies ” or “ groups ” into which this family has been divided. In 
fact, it is probable that a large number of the so-called genera will have to be sunk as 
soon as it is possible to critically examine them. Characters derived from the neuration 
are in many cases certainly not of generic value in this family. It is not, however, 
within the scope of this publication to work out these points, it being more a matter of 
convenience to us to follow Guénée’s arrangement than to attempt another that could 
in no way be complete or satisfactory. 
Most of the species of Noctuide are night-fliers, and they are seldom to be met with 
in the daytime. 
Subfam. CY MATOPHORINEGE. 
THYATIRA. 
Thyatira, Hiibner, Verz. bek. Schmett. p. 236 (1816) ; Walker, Cat. ix. p. 6. 
Hiibner founded this genus upon Phalena Noctua batis, Linn. In Walker’s Catalogue 
five species are included in it, and since the publication of this several others have been 
described by Moore from the Oriental Region. In our country the genus is repre- 
sented by four species, three of which are here described. 
1. Thyatira batis, var. mexicana. 
Thyatira batis, var. mexicana, H. Edwards, Papilio, iv. p. 16°. 
Hab. Mexico, State of Vera Cruz (Schaus+); Panama, Volcan de Chiriqui 2000 to 
3000 feet (Champion). 
BIOL. CENTR.-AMER., Heter., Vol. 1., May 1889. 2 kk 
