286 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



NOTES ON THE SPECIES OF RHYNCHAGROTIS, SM., WITH 

 DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW SPECIES. 



BY JOHN B. SMITH, SC.D., NEW BRUNSWICK, N. J. 

 (Continued from page 228.) 



Rhynchagrotis alternately Grt. 



One of the well-known, widely-distributed species which does not vary 

 greatly. It is almost as large as variata, but not so broad-winged, the 

 colours are usually of some shade of luteous, more or less mottled, and 

 with the terminal space paler, though rarely contrasting. From all its 

 allies it differs in the large, ovate, oblique orbicular and large reniform, 

 which may be kidney-shaped or a little constricted ; both maculae pale- 

 ringed. The transverse maculation is usually all present, but broken. 

 Localities represented in the material before me range throughout the 

 Northern States and Canada to the Rocky Mountains, southward down 

 the Mississippi Valley into Ohio, and along the Atlantic Coast to the 

 District of Columbia. 



Rhynchagrotis Belfragei, Sm. 



Similar to alternata in size, but narrower winged, darker and even in 

 colour, the median lines almost lost. The ordinary spots are concolorous, 

 narrowly pale-ringed, smaller than in its ally, the orbicular more nearly 

 round. 



Only 2 (^ 's are at hand, from Texas, and they are from the original 

 type lot taken by Belfrage. It is strange that it has not been turned up 

 again in more recent collections. 



Rhyjtchagrotis a?ichoceIioides, On. 



Better known as acpida in collections, and locally not uncommon. 

 It is almost as large as alternata, but is red or brown in colour, not 

 mottled, and with a distinct blackish mark on costa preceding the s. t. 

 line. In the normal form the maculation is obscure, the median lines 

 barely marked, the ordinary spots only a little darker. 



What we have always known as brunneipefinis, but which seems 

 nearer to what Hampson calls cupida, Grt., is a distinctly smaller form, 

 with the median lines distinct though broken, the ordinary spots pale- 

 ringed and blackish centered, the s. t. space distinctly darker. I have 

 suspected two species, and am not sure yet that there is only one ; but 

 all of the 13 examples of this type before me are females, and the change 

 in form is somewhat gradual. 



Nevertheless, the last word on this species has not been said. 



August, 1908 



