THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 221 



NOTES ON THE SPECIES OF RHYNCHAGROTIS, SM , WITH 

 DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW SPECIES. 



r.Y JOHN B. SMITH, SC.D., NliW BRUNSWIlK, N. J. 



The genus R/iynchagrotis, Smith, is restricted by Hampson to the 

 yellow-winged species allied to gilvipennis, Grt., the hitter being declared 

 generic type because it happened to stand first in the series, even though it 

 contradicted the generic description in part and was pi iced in the ger.us 

 with an expressed doubt as to the correctness of the association. A more 

 absurd consequence of rigid adherence to an arbitrary rule Ccin scarcely 

 be conceived, and I decline to accept this limitation of my genus. The 

 bulk of the American species which I placed in R/iynchagrotis, Hampson 

 places in Triphcena, Hbn., and if that is correct, then my genus is a 

 synonym — a conclusion to which I could take no possible exception. I 

 do not believe, however, that the yellow winged Triphcena of Europe are 

 congeneric with the American species that I have called Rhynchagrotis, 

 and therefore retain the name in the sense in which I originally used it. 

 \i gih'ipeimis is generically distinct it should have a new generic name. 

 For present convenience, however, I retain the species here, again 

 emphasizing the fact that it differs obviously not only in colour, but in 

 minor structures from the rest of our species. 



The present rearrangement of my material was induced partly 

 because my boxes were becoming overcrowded, partly because I had 

 received a large number of specimens in some groups showing great range 

 of variation, partly because I had material which could not be satisfac- 

 torily referred, and partly because I wished to bring my collection into 

 accord with Sir George F. Hampson's general conclusions. 



I secured by purchase, from Mr. George Franck, a large lot of 

 Colorado material; Mr. Oito Buchholz, of Newark, who collected in 

 Yavapai County, Arizona, in 1907, was good enough to loan me all his 

 examples— some 200 or more, and Mr. J. W. Cockle, of Kaslo, B. C, 

 sent me a nice lot, representing the species found in his locality. Other 

 material was obtained in smaller amounts from other correspondents, so 

 that I believe myself justified in the conclusions reached in this revision. 



The basis of separation after eliminating the yellow-winged gilvi- 

 pennis is, first of all, the dark brown head and collar which distinguish 

 rufipectiis and hrjinneicoUis. 



Next comes minimalis, which is unique in having single median lines 

 where all the others have them geminate. 



July, 1908 



