214 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



performed its most important functions. Almost every plant has its 

 peculiar insect enemy, and Sarracenia, with all its 'dangers to insect life 

 generally, is no exception to the rule. 



Sixth : That neither the moth nor the fly have any structure peculiar 

 to them that enables them to brave the dangers of the plant, beyond 

 what many other allied species possess. 



PRELIMINARY CATALOGUE OF THE NOCTUID^ OF 



CALIFORNIA. 



Pari II. 



BY AUG. R. GROTE, 



Curator of Articulata, Buffalo Sac. of Natural Sciences. 



lo. Agrotis Cochran a Riley. (See ante p. 155). 



The specimens are hardly to be distinguished from Eastern material ;. 

 they are perhaps a little larger, and of a little different tone of color. My 

 determination of this species as lycaruni H.-S., based on a figure, is 

 probably incorrect. It seems possible that Harris has described A. 

 Cochranii under the name niessoria, which should then be retained. More 

 material of A. fuscigcrus (ante No. 15) shows that this is a good but 

 variable species, both in size and color. There is always a uniformity in 

 the disposition of the ground tint over the primaries above, and usually 

 the broad inner lunulations of the t. p. line and the median shade are 

 characteristic. Some specimens have the hind wings of a pale yellowish 

 testaceous, with double subterminal shade lines visible. 



/^. DiantJioccia nivciguttata (Grote). (Ante p. 156.) 



In my ^ specimen the ovipositor is apparently broken off. 



28. Agrotis altcrnata Cirote. 



Mendocino, Mr. Behrens, June. Nos. 4 and 164. The California 

 specimens vary in distinctness of the markings on the forewings as well 

 as in the general color. One has the primaries entirely plain and uni- 

 colorus. I do not think there are grounds for suspecting a different 

 species. 



