12(5 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Melanic or Albinic — Male or female, or local, the names of which are 

 sufficient definition. 



This would not preclude the use of the term sub-variety as now used, 

 but would open the way for the use of the still more expressive term of 

 " sub-species," applicable to varieties highly differentiated, and especially 

 when the differentiation has so far progressed as to begin in the larval state. 



Would not the application of some such system to the catalogues be 

 of much aid in study and designate approximately the relations of many 

 forms to each other ? 



I offer this as a suggestion ; the subject will certainly bear discussion, 

 and some permanent good may come of it surely. If the result of the 

 discussion is the adoption of the system herein indicated, after elaboration 

 and revision, or of some other system that will in some way indicate the 

 relationship of forms in their names, my end will be attained. That some 

 reform is necessary I am convinced. 



THE NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF MAMESTRA, Ochs. 



BY A. R. GROTE. 



The species of this genus have hairy eyes, unarmed tibiae and a tufted 

 thorax. The dorsum of the abdomen is more or less tufted, but in some 

 species the tuftings are not noticeable. Several species which seem to 

 me to belong to Graphiphora (Taeniocainpa) have been referred to this 

 genus ; among these I may mention orobia of Harvey, modesta, incincta 

 and thecata of Morrison, and the species described by me as nifiila and 

 pjicrilis. I also take out the auia and promidsa of Morrison, which I 

 believe to be species of Anarta. The species included under DiantJwecia 

 differ from Mamcstra by the extruded ovipositor. But they appear to 

 arrange themselves naturally among the species of Mamesira, and perhaps 

 do not really differ in a generic sense. They are here included. 



purpurissata Grote^ P. Ent. S. Phil. 3, 83. Can.; Eastern and Middle 



. States, 

 nimbosa Guen., Noct. 2, 77; Speyer, Ent. Can.; Zeit. 142. Eastern and 



Middle States, 

 discalis Grote, Bull. U. S. Geol. Surv., 3,797. Colorado. 



