<J4 the CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



NEW LIST OF THE NORTH AMERICAN DAGGER MOTHS. 



BY AUG. R. GROTE, A. M., BREMEN, GERMANY. 



The name " Dagger Moths " is given to a group of white and gray 

 Noctuidce, or Owlet Moths, which, in the perfect state, possess a certain 

 similarity in appearance, but are often quite dissimilar as caterpillars, not 

 only among themselves, but as compared with the other Noctuidas, with 

 which Family they are classified. The name itself alludes to a black 

 mark which many of the species show near the internal angle of the fore 

 wings, which resembles a dagger, or the Greek letter Fsi. The caterpillars 

 are often ornamented with curious hairs or bristles ; several are shaggy in 

 appearance, so that they look like Arctiadce or Dasychircz. This peculi- 

 arity is shared, however, by other genera such as Platycerura and 

 Charadra., which I classify with them as a subordinate Group of the 

 Noctuidse under the name of Bombycoidce, or perhaps more properly, 

 Apatelince. 



The use of the generic name Apatela is sanctioned by Stephens, in 

 every way a most excellent authority in this group of moths. It is first 

 used by Hiibner in his Tentamen, with the type Airricoina, and in a strict 

 sense it must be retained for that section of the genus to which this species 

 belongs. I refer to the Preface of the first part of my first Check List of 

 the Noctuidte for the grounds on which I use certain of Hiibner's generic 

 names. Also to a recent article of mine in " Papilio," wherein I show 

 under what limitations I am now constrained to admit the validity of this 

 author's generic titles. Harris uses Apatela for his species A??iericaiia, 

 but this is not strictly congeneric with Auricoina, but falls under a distinct 

 section which I have called Megacronyda. As a whole, the Dagger Moths 

 have simple antennae, the palpi are short with small third article and 

 shortly haired. The eyes are naked ; the body usually untufted on the 

 dorsum ; the legs unarmed. The hairy larvae, somewhat arctiiform, con- 

 struct a rather tough cocoon and usually appear in the spring as moths. 

 Some species appear to be double brooded, others only so in the South. 

 The limits of the genus are perhaps really overstepped in the case of the 

 Californian species referred to the section Merolonche, and perhaps again 

 with regard to the Eastern Oblinita and allies, the section Eulonchc. 

 Almost all of the writers who have written on our moths have given more 

 or less attention to this interesting genus, Mr. Saunders was the first to 



