NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 59 



rated; the orbicular small, placed close to the interior line ; the 

 reniforni very large and conspicuous. 



The posterior wings are white, with a diffuse gray border, very 

 narrow in the male, in the female wider and extending up the 

 nervules. 



The sexes also differ in another particular : in the males the 

 anterior wings are clear gray ; in the females the wings are over- 

 spread with ochreous scales which extend over the thorax. 



Hab. Illinois, Missouri. 



Agrotis gladiaria, Morr. 



Proc. Bos. Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. xvii. p. 162 (1874). 



This species is allied to the European A. vestigialis, Rott. 



We have received specimens from St. Catharines, Canada, re- 

 cently sent us by Mr. George Norman. They were captured May 

 and July, 9. 



The antennas of the male is bipectinate. On the anterior wings 

 the costa in the male is whitish and contrasting, in the female 

 dark and concolorous ; a black basal dash ; the interior line is 

 only seen below the median nervure, it is then for a short distance 

 quite distinct, and to it is attached the black-lined claviform spot ; 

 the orbicular spot is small, the reniform large and dark ; the sub- 

 terminal line is preceded by a series of more or less distinct black 

 cuneiform markings ; all the nervures are accompanied by pale 

 contrasting shades, more prominent in the males ; posterior wings 

 dark fuscous. Beneath nearly uniform grayish fuscous, with 

 traces of the discal dots. 



Hab. Mass., Canada. 



Argrotis unimacula, Morr. 



Proc. Bos. Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. xvii. p. 166 (1874). A. hantspica, 

 Grote, Bull. Buff. Soc. Nat. Sci., vol. ii. p. 214 (1875). 



Mr. Grote states that our name is preoccupied ; this is an error, 

 the name is used by Dr. Staudinger for a simple variety of the 

 common A. plecta, Linn. 



Since describing A. unimacula we have received many other spe- 

 cimens of the species, principally from Messrs. J. A. Lintner and 

 T. L. Mead ; the orbicular spot is not always absent, and quite 

 frequently both spots are present. 



Mamestra thecata, Morr., nov. sp. 



Expanse 32 mm. Length of body 14 mm. 



This is a well-marked, comparatively slender-bodied species 



