134 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



SOUTHERN NOCTUIDS AT RYE, N. Y. 



BY HENRY BIRD, RYE, N. Y. 



Remarks in a recent issue of this magazine concerning " A South- 

 erner arrested in Canada" recall some of the additions made to my local 

 list during the summer of 189S. In this instance also some stragglers 

 from a lower latitude were welcomed among my catch. Not only a few 

 Noctuids but some of the birds also bore a Southern aspect (I cannot be 

 expected to pass the birds unnoticed), most unusual among the latter 

 being the appearance of several blue herons that frequented the salt 

 marshes here for the better part of the summer. These waders are more 

 at home in the svvamps of Florida, although this is not the limit of their 

 northern migrations by any means, yet they are considered great rarities 

 here by the local sportsmen. 



Whether the climatic conditions were such as to induce the visita- 

 tions, or whether the great quantity of gunpowder that was burned down 

 South caused them to be in evidence, I will not attempt to explain. 



In the case of the heron the gunpowder suggestion might have a 

 little weight, but the freshness of my Noctuids points rather to a perma- 

 nent residence on their part. 



Worthy of especial mention among these is Eticalyptera Inpunda, 

 Morr. 



In the only previous reference to this species in Ibrmer volumes 

 (Vol. XV., 230) the insect is discussed concerning its position generically 

 and is compared with Scolecocainpa libwna and Doryodes acutaria. As 

 one unfamiliar with the species could get but a poor conception from 

 these associations, and as the literature is in no way burdened with 

 references to this insect, I will mention a itw points descriptive of its 

 general appearance. 



In my specimen, a male, the form is very slight, palpi prominent 

 projecting forward and upward, the antennce show extremely fine pecti- 

 nations under a pocket magnifier. The colour is light smoky gray, the 

 secondaries a trifle the darker. The transverse posterior line is the 

 only conspicuous marking of the primaries, is strongly indicated, smoky 

 brown, and curves well outwardly near the costa, but does not in my 

 specimen reach the costal vein. 



Two small, black dots, suggestive of the name, are noticeable, one — 

 the larger — indicating the orbicular, and the other, very minute, equi- 



