REVISION OF SPECIES OF THE GENUS AGKOTIS. 23 



lines, iind piii>ticiilaily in tliat biMieatli, tlie (^oiiiinoii line is ontwanlly 

 obliquely marked with the black on the costa of priiiuuie.s. Generally 

 paler and less distinctly marked than variatn.^^ 



None of the characters are at all constant, and there is no jmint at 

 whitjh even the varietal line can be satisfactorily drawn. 



Expand 33-40"""; 1.32-1.00 inches. 



Uabitat. — Colorado, Nevada, California, Arizona, Vancouver. 



As already indicated the genital structure of this species agrees with 

 that of placida, and to that species the present is more nearly allied. 

 It is, however, larger, and wider winged, and the powdery transverse 

 markings are somewhat distinctive in course as well as appearance. In 

 a Californiau specimen examined, tbes. t. line was distinct, pale, sinuous, 

 and only the outer portion of tlie terminal space was pale. 



Rhynchagrotis alternata Grt. 



1864. Grt., Proc. Eiit. Soc, Phil., iti, 526, pi. 5, f. 8, Xoctua. 



1874. Grt., Can. Ent., vi, l'>, Cerantis. 



1874. Grt., Cau. Ent., vi, 214 A(/rotis. 



1878. Grt., Can. Ent., x, 235, Aywfis. 



1889. Butl., Trans. Ent. Soc, Lond., 1889, -382— phijllophora. 



Pale to dark clay yellow ; primaries irrorate with black ; all the 

 markings distinct; s. t. space darker, terminal space paler than ground 

 color. Maculatiou essentially as in eupida. Basal line geminate, brown- 

 ish. T. a. line oblique, geminate, with a simple subcostal dentation, 

 thence undulate to internal margin. T. p. line geminate interrupted, 

 nearly straight, but little arcuated at the disc; beyoud, and close to the 

 line is a row of dark venular dots, giving the appearance of a third line. 

 S. t. line nuirked by the contrast between the dark s. t. and paler ter- 

 minal space, the s. t. shading in pale specimens looking very much like 

 a dark fascia. A series of blackish terminal dots. Ordinary spots nar- 

 rowly annulate with pale, darker than ground color, the reniform slightly 

 shaded with ferruginous. Secondaries fuscous to blackish, fringes con- 

 trasting, pale reddish yellow. Beneath the margins of both wings are 

 reddish yellow, the disc of i)rinuiries blackish, of secondaries- paler, 

 luteous. A common, blackish extra-discal line. Palpi pale ferruginous, 

 not black at sides, and thus this species is easily separable from all the 

 preceding forms. 



Expands ;3o-38"""; 1.40-1.50 inches. 



Habitat.— Middle and Northern Atlantic States, District of Co- 

 lumbia. 



This is one of the most constant species of this group, both in size 

 and maculatiou. I have .seen many pale specimens of eupida labeled 

 alternata, and Mr. Grote himself is not guiltless of such errors. I have 

 never seen the species from the Pacific States, though Mr. Grote gives 

 this as a Californiau species in Can. Ent., vi, 215, but I believe he had 

 a well marked specimen of cupidissima before him rdiher thsiii alternata, 



