THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. "^ 63 



Apamea, and I, being desirous of obtaining an example for the Society's 

 collection, enquired of correspondents who I thought were likely to know, 

 but none of them had ever seen it, or could give any information about 

 it. There is an insect in the D'Urban collection which was made in 

 Quebec, labeled Hydrxcia Straiiieniosa, in Walker's handwriting, but it 

 does not even belong to that genus. And when I read Dr. Smith's 

 remarks, quoted above, I concluded that it had got into our list by 

 mistake, and that it was not to be looked for in Canada. But one is 

 always liable to find cause to change their conclusions. 



Having received some material from Montreal for names, there vvas 

 amongst it a fresh, bright oran^-yellow specimen of Hydroicia with 

 purple bands, which so closely resembled the purpurifascia in our 

 drawers, that, without giving it critical examination, I placed that name 

 opposite its number. When the specimens were returned, Mr. Brainerd 

 objected to that name ; not that he claimed to be able to distinguish the 

 species, but he thought there was not enough of the food-plant of 

 purpurifascia about Montreal to feed a tithe of the moths that could be 

 taken there, remarking that they had been calling it rutila, and suspected 

 that I must be wrong. Being so different in colour from all the rutilas I 

 had seen, I hesitated to accept it as such ; so obtaining another specimen, 

 I referred it to Dr. Smith, who pronounced it to be " a very typical 

 specimen of that species." When I informed Mr. Brainerd of the 

 decision being in his favour, 1 requested from him another specimen if he 

 could spare it, which he kindly sent, and said, " With it I put one of 

 what we call Strainentosa, which is the only other common species here 

 except Nictitans" which proved to be the true H. Straincnfosa, Guecee, 

 and thus, by a fortunate error on my part, has its presence there been 

 disclosed to the rest of the Entomological world. 



When I informed Dr. Smith of the discovery, he replied : '■ I am de- 

 lighted to hear of its occurrence there, and it may be now that it will turn 

 up in the northern or mountainous districts of New York or New Eng- 

 land. I must say I hesitated long before I dared to identify Guenee's 

 description as I did, with no sort of proof that the species occurred this 

 side of the Rockies." 



Mr. Brainerd intends to make a vigorous effort to discover its food 

 plant next season, and so obtain the larva for description. 



J, Alston Moffat, Curator Ent. Soc. of Ont. 



