328 [April 



HELIOCHEILUS, nov. gen. 

 Head smaller, clypeus move globose and prominent than in Heliothis 

 Ochs., to which it is intimately allied but differs very distinctly by the 

 pterogostic structure, principally of the male. Palpi short and slender, 

 third article exceeding the front, held much as in Heliothis. Thorax 

 well elevated anteriorly ; antennae simple and slender in both sexes ; 

 abdomen exceeding posterior wings. 



Wings broad and short; anterior pair hardly a quarter longer than 

 broad; in the male the costa is greatly and suddenly swollen at the 

 middle, above the disc; costal margin convex. The costal nervure 

 curvilinear, slight, joining the costa immediately beyond the costal 

 swelling. Sub-costal nervure stout, appearing longitudinally furrowed. 

 greatly bent downwards at the disc. The first s. c. nervure sent out 

 before this depression, joining the costa just beyond the swelling, form- 

 ing the upper margin id' a large oblong cell, open to costa. The discal 

 is open, and brought nearer the middle of the wing by this abnor- 

 mal cell than which it is hardly larger. The second, third and fourth 

 nervules originate near together and are much curved. 

 The sixth originates further from the nervure than 

 in Heliothis. The firs! and second median nervules 



Anterior wing of % are near together at base, third further removed. In 

 Heliocheilus en- , _ . ' ,, . . . . , ,.„ , 



lareed. IUC female the neuration is considerably modified, 



and. as far as I can judge from a single specimen which I have not des- 

 ■d. the abnormal condition of the % s. c. nervule is entirely absent. 

 nor is the costa swollen. Indeed, except in the shape of the wing of 

 the 9 Heliocheilus, I am unprepared to give any differences of neura- 

 tion between it and 11 liothis. In the % and $ posterior wings the neu- 

 ration is not sensibly modified from Heliothis. 



The ornamentation is cpuite similar to that of Heliothis armig< ra 

 Hiibner, the American specimens of which I have described, under the 

 impression that they constituted a distinct species, as Heliothis umbro- 

 sus* Indeed were it not for the proportionally broader and stouter 

 wings and striking divergence of male neuration, one might readily 

 mistake the moth for a dwarfed form of H umbrosus. 



This very remarkable Noctuid was collected by Mr. James Ridings 

 in Colorado Territory, in two % and one female individuals, the males 

 differing slightly from one another in the distinctness of coloration and 

 ornamentation, both agreeing structurally. 



* This species has been found very destructive to the Cotton Plant in its 

 larval state, as I have been informed by Mr. Glover of the Agricultural Bu- 

 reau. 



