20 BULLETIN 38, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



iuate. Basal lino, black, curved t. a. Hue outwardly oblique, blackish, 

 waved, included space paler ; a distinct black spot ou costa at iucei)- 

 tiou of the outer part of the line; t. p. line even, dark brown, included 

 space paler, a distinct black patch ou costa at inception of inner line, 

 outer line punctiform; the line makes a slight outward curve over dis- 

 cal cell. S. t. line initiated by a large, distinct black costal patch, then 

 sinuate, rather as a darker shade emphasized by black venular jwints, 

 followed by a narrow pale shade to hind margin. S. t. si)ace some- 

 times as a whole darker than the rest of the wing. Ordinary spots dis- 

 tinct, annulate with a paler shade, orbicular very slightly oblique 

 sometimes concolorous, more usually darker; reniforni moderate, with 

 an evenly blackish center, of the normal shape. Beneath, primaries 

 reddish along the costa, otherwise blackish gray, with a more or less 

 evident outer line ; secondaries paler than above, powdered with red- 

 dish along costa, irrorate with black scales ; a faint outer line and evi- 

 dent discal spot. 



Expands 31-37'""^ ; 1.25-1.50 inches. 



Habitat. — Canada to Virginia, west to Pennsylvania ; Texas. 



From this typical form the variations will run to an almost complete 

 obsolescence of maculation, and again to a darker form, the maculatiou 

 black and strongly relieved. A permanent feature, which seems the 

 specific character, is the costal spot preceding the s. t. line, and which 

 seems to survive all sorts of modifications. The genital structure of the 

 male is peculiar, as I have already stated, and as shown at PI. ii, f. 3. 

 Mr. Grote has had some of the variations of this species, and he says 

 (Can. Ent. X, 234) : "What may be taken as the typical form, or that 

 which is best marked, expands 33-35"""' The wings are of a brick 

 brown, with the stigmata filled with black ; a black mark on costa at 

 inception of s. t. line ; the s. t. space a little darker than the rest of the 

 wing ; the lines well defined. A larger form from Texas expands 40'"'"' 

 It has been reared from the larva by Belfrage (No. 674). It is more red, 

 more unicolorous, the markings less obtrusive. A specimen taken by 

 Dr. Bailey is the size of the typical form, but has the subbasal and sub- 

 terminal spaces entirely filled in with black. Then come three speci- 

 mens in which the fore wings seem a little narrower, and the expanse 

 smaller. One is bright orange red, all the markings obsolete. Another 

 is more of the typical shade, but both the spots are ringed with bright 

 yellow. ■ The third I have decided as distinct under the name of brun- 

 neipennisy 



Mr. Grote did not have all the variations, apparently, and was in 

 error in considering the Texan specimens as referable here. It consti- 

 tutes a very distinct species, nearer to alternata, and as such I have 

 separated it in the collection of the U. S. National Museum, which con- 

 tains several of the Belfrage specimens. It may be called helfragei, 

 and the above comparative features will easily separate it. J believe 

 it the only one of this group in Texas. 



