TIIK CANADIAN KNTOMOLOGIST. 333 



NOTES 0^^ SOME SPECIES OF ACRONYCTA IN THE BRITISH 



MUSEUM. 



BY JOHN B. SMITH, SC. D., RUTGERS COLLEGE, N. J. 



Nothing is more aggravating than to be compelled, soon after com- 

 pleting a monographic work, to make changes in the nomenclature and 

 synonymy ; yet this is the purpose of this paper concerning the genus 

 Acronycta, which was monographed by Dr. H. G. Dyar and myself in 

 Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XXI., pp. 1-194, 189S. 



It was explained in the introduction to this paper that, because of its 

 interesting early stages, the late Dr. C. V. Riley had been, for years, 

 accumulating material for a thorough study oi Acronycta ; therefore I had 

 made no effort to become closely familiar with the species. Some time 

 before, Dr. A. G. Butler, of the British Museum, attracted in the same 

 way by the larval difference, had divided the species among several genera, 

 referred to several families ; allowing superficial and secondary characters 

 to mislead him, as he has since admitted. In 1886, while arranging the 

 Grote material. Dr. Butler made comparisons with other types in the 

 Museum, the results of which were published in 1887 in " Entomologica 

 Americana." 



When, in 1891, I examined the British Museum collections, the 

 species of Acronycta were still scattered among several families, and, ist, 

 because Dr. Butler had already made comparisons and published results ; 

 2nd, because Dr. Riley had made comparisons, the results of which were 

 not yet published. I decided to make no original notes myself I called 

 attention to this point in my Catalogue, Bull. 44, U. S. N. M., p. 35, 

 where I accepted nearly all of Mr. Butler's synonymical references. 



In 1900 I had another opportunity to examine the British Museum 

 collections, and the results are here given. 



Acronycta felina, Grt. Type and one other specimen so labelled. 

 Three examples from Vancouver are different. There are "types" also 

 in the Edwards and Tepper collections, wliich are much darker than the 

 B. M. type. The latter is quite a light gray, basal streak to place oft. a. 

 line ; not furcate at tip. T. p. line distinct. Reniform a dusky lunule. 

 In my revision I have described as the typical form the examples repre- 

 sented in the American collections. 



Acronycta leptisculina., Gn. The type of this species is not in the 

 collection. Three distinct forms are grouped under this specific name. 



Acronycta insita, Walk. The type is a female, and very much 



