308 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



under the custom and as accepted in Staudinger's catalogue, should be 

 retained for the species it designates, since at the time it was free to be 

 named and no subsequent generic separation can overturn its real and 

 conceded right at the time it was proposed. Vetusta, Walk., as applied 

 to murcenu/a, must be relegated to the synonymy." 



The facts are that Walker described Mythimna vetusta in 1856 and 

 Agrotis vetuita xn 1865; and Grote and Robinson described Agrotis 

 murmmla in 1S68. In 18S2, Mr. Grote stated that perhaps Mythimna 

 vetusta^ Wlk. (not both this species and Agrotis vetusta, as Prof. Smith 

 states in Bull. 38, U. S. Nat. Miis., pp. 125 and 212), was inurienula, and 

 that it certainly was an Agrotis. Walker had thus unwittingly given two 

 species of Agrotis the same specific name, and hence one was free to be 

 renamed. But which one — the one described in 1856 as Mythimna 

 vettista or the Agrotis vetusta described in 1865? Mr. Grote evidently 

 assumes that the former name must fall, but usage and consistency 

 dictate that the older name should be retained. An examination of type 

 specimens by Prof Smith shows that Mythimna vetusta, Wlk., and 

 Agrotis nmrcemda, G. & R., are the same species. Then micrcenula 

 must be placed in the synonymy of the older vetusta ; and Walker's 

 Agrotis vetusta, if it proves to be a valid species, is free to be renamed, 

 and must be renamed should it be congeneric with Porosagrotis vetusta, 

 Wlk. Thus, I believe the facts warrant Prof. Smith's use of the name 

 vetusta, Wlk., for murcenula, G. c\: R. Mr. Grote seems to have omitted 

 Porosagrotis obesula, Smith, from his List for 1895. 



THE SECOND ANACRABRO, AND THE SMALLEST 

 AMERICAN OXYBELUS. 



BY T. D. A. COCKERELL, N. M. AGR. EXP. STA. 



Anacrabro boerhavice, n. sp. or var. — $ about 7 mm. long; differs 

 from ocellatus by the yellow markings, which are as follows : — Dorsum of 

 prothorax and tubercles yellow, the tubercles with a black central dot. 

 Mesothorax all black, except a small yellow spot on each side at hind 

 border, adjacent to yellow spot of scutellum. Scutellum with a pair of 

 large yellow spots. Postscutelluin yellow. Inner side of anterior half 

 of anterior femora yellow. Tibite yellow, with more or less black 

 behind. Tarsi yellow, slightly tending to orange. Segments 1-6 of 

 abdomen presenting a yellow spot medially, and a large yellow patch on 

 each side. The median spot on first segment is round, that on 2-3 



