Vol. XXl'] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS 357 



New England Orthoptera collected in late October and No- 

 vember include almost entirely the true ground-inhabiting 

 forms, as the crickets and acridian locusts. These are con- 

 fined almost entirely to the open, upland fields and pastures 

 which retain their greenness longest and are most exposed to 

 the warmth of the sun's rays throughout the day. 



Orthoptera are everywhere less abundant in species as cold 

 weather approaches, yet careful observations at this season are 

 of no less importance, since much information can be gained 

 concerning the habits and relative numbers of those hardier 

 species which become the dominant forms late in autumn. 



Notes on Mamestra trifolii Rott. and its Allies. 



BY J. B. SMITH, Sc.D. 



(With Plate XI.) 



Mamestra trifolii is one of our common Noctuids and usu- 

 ally represented by a fair series in collections and a very few 

 duplicates, because, occurring throughout the country, there 

 is little or no chance for exchange. It is recognized as a some- 

 what variable species and as a rule two types are brought out 

 in collections: one in which there is little or no contrasting 

 maculation, the s. t. line not conspicuous, but moderately den- 

 tate and without preceding sagittate black dashes ; the other 

 in which there are strongly contrasting shades, s. t. line con- 

 spicuous, strongly dentate to form a W on veins 3 and 4, pre- 

 ceded by well-defined, sagittate black marks. In almost every 

 reasonably good series the difference between these two ex- 

 tremes is easily bridged by apparently intermediate forms. 



In my catalogue the species stands as trifolii Rott., with 

 chcnopodii Fab., albifusa Wlk., glaucovaria Wlk., and major 

 Speyer as synonyms and oregonica Grt. as a variety. 



Hampson refers the species to Scotogramma Smith, gives 

 the same synonymy except that he omits major Speyer alto- 

 gether, and adds additionally verna Esp., saucia Esp., trcitschkei 

 Bdv., pugnax Hbn., farkasii Tr., intermissa Wlk, inqmcta Wlk. 

 and can esc ens Moore, 



