NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 161 



tudinally by a black line ; above these a row of black dots, the one in the 

 anal angle oblong ; on the costal margin near the outer angle a black patch, 

 from which an interrupted dark line crosses the wing to near the abdominal 

 margin. 



Under side: primaries pale fulvous, clouded with yellowish on the apex 

 ,and hind margin ; the black markings on the disk of upper side indicated 

 below from the transparency of the wing ; a black patch near the inner angle, 

 a faint black streak on costal margin and another on inner margin correspond- 

 ing with the dilated extremities of the line above ; both wings bordered by 

 lunules. 



Secondaries yellowish, clouded with brown on the disk and on the hind 

 margin ; the middle lunule white and arrow-shaped, those next the angles 

 yellowish, the others dark brown ; a row of brown points corresponding with 

 the spots above ; across the middle of the wing an irregular band of yellowish 

 white edged with ferruginous ; next the base several white or yellow-white 

 spots edged with ferruginous. 



Female. One-third larger than the male, which it resembles ; the marginal 

 spots and transverse band on primaries are of lighter color, the latter tawny ; 

 the marginal lunules on secondaries are tawny ; beneath, the lunules next the 

 inner angles of secondaries are silver white, as are the band and the spots 

 next the base ; near the apex of primaries are four or five small silver spots. 



Texas ; Kansas ; California. 



This species appears to vary widely in color. Individuals are found blackish 

 instead of fulvous, the wavy lines near the base lost in the uniform shade. 

 The marginal spots and band are light colored, nearly yellow, but disposed 

 as in the type above described ; the under side exhibits little variation. 



IIelit^a minuta, nov. sp. Expands 1*4 inch. 



Upper side orange fulvous ; a narrow black border upon the hind margin 

 of both wings, within which is a series of fulvous lunules ; preceding the 

 black border a narrow common fulvous band edged anteriorly with black, and 

 enclosing on costal margin of primaries a transverse row of four obsolete 

 white spots ; from this band to the base both wings are marked by transverse, 

 undulated black lines ; base clouded with brown ; costa of primaries brown ; 

 fringe white, cut with black at the intersection of the nervures. 



Under side orange, brighter on secondaries ; a narrow white border on the 

 hind margin of both wings ; anterior to this a series of white lunules, each 

 edged with black ; on costal margin of primaries a transverse row of four 

 white spots; beyond this to the base black markings as on upper side; on 

 secondaries the lunules are preceded by an immaculate orange band, beyond 

 which is a broad transverse white band containing three rows of black spots, 

 somewhat irregularly placed, and mostly oblong ; some of the middle row 

 circular ; another irregular white band crosses the wing towards the base, 

 edged with black spots ; at the base a white spot edged with black. 



Texas. From the collection of Mr. J. W. Weidemeyer, of New York. 



MelitjEA nycteis, Doubleday. Expands 1*4 inch. 



Male. Upper side tawny ; fringe long, with alternate bars- of black and 

 white ; primaries next the base crossed by black undulated lines edged with- 

 out by a zigzag black band which is dilated on the costal and on inner margin ; 

 a broad black border on hind margin and apex, within which along the margin 

 is an interrupted series of points, the middle one lonular, the two next the 

 apex white, the others tawny ; preceding these a transverse sinuous row of 

 small spots, nearly round, tawny, except the two on the costal margin, which 

 are white and minute ; between the black border and the zigzag band a broad 

 sinuous tawny band common to both wings. 



Secondaries next the base greenish-black, lightly sprinkled with tawny 

 atoms, and marked by two or three patches of same color, the outline less 



1861.] 12 



