REVISION OF SPECIES OE THE GENUS AGKOTIS. 163 



Of the second series messoria is typical. The vestitiiio is very stronj^'ly 

 intermixed with ;:caU's nsuully nioditit'd into a distinct, anterior divided 

 tuft. Tlie wings arc more equal, tbe outer margins not so oblique, ou 

 the whole, less trigonate. The secondaries are never white in either 

 sex. The maculation of primaries is usually well markc<l, the t. p. 

 especially, which is stroiigly crenulate. The ordinary spots are usually 

 very distinctly outlined and well sized, and where that is not the case, 

 the dark color of primaries, the resemblance in form and other macula- 

 tion to messoria is so striking that hesitation is not often necessary in 

 placing a species. 



In the subgroup bostoniensis, the typical species is remarkable I'or 

 the dark color ot ))rimaries, and the blackish secondaries of the female. 



Cacnis, of which muscosa is a synouyui, has the gray of primaries suf- 

 fused with reddish, and the transverse lines of the same color. 



^[c<li((lis replaces the reddish by yellow or white, the lines similar, 

 but evidently geminate. 



Feniseva has the ground color a pale luteous, the lines still more evi- 

 dently geminate and becoming crenate, showing an evident tendency 

 to the next section, 



Extranea is even darker in ground color thau bostoniensis, with the 

 wing form of cKenis and the transverse lines and ordinary spots distinct. 



Trifasciata resembles the preceding so much that I at first inclined to 

 the belief that they were color varieties ; but closer comparison shows 

 them to be distinct. This species has the primaries distinctly red 

 brown, the orbicular larger, and the reniform differently shaped. 



Jiifasciata is smaller than either of the preceding, and unique, not 

 only in coloration, but also in the broad, black and closely approximated 

 median lines. The ordinary spots are obsolete. 



Comos<( still more strongly resembles the messoria group, but has the 

 vestiture entirely hairy, the ordinary spots obsolete; the color is red- 

 dish and the t. p. line is very strongly denticulated. 



In the messori((. series there are two very well marked divisions pos- 

 sible, based upon average size — a ditference of about .-() inches or 5""" 

 separating them. 



Of the larger species, three have a distinct claviform. 



Messoria is dark gray or fuscous, all the maculation very distinct. 

 There is some variation in ground color, but ou the whole the species 

 is so true to type, that once known it will scarce be again mistaken. 

 Some species have a reddish shade similar to the next. 



Rubefactalis has a distinct red cast to the primaries, a black shade 

 preceding the s. t. line, and a broad, black transverse line on collar. 



Fauna seems to follow most naturally, though, from the horrible con- 

 dition of the type, it is as much guess-work as auything else to assign 

 an exact position to the species, and the type is the only specimen I 

 have seen. The orbicular is irregular and the claviform linear, acute 

 at tip. Tlie grouud polor is pale reU brown. 



