212 BULLETIN 38, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



tuft of hairs above at the base. Fore wings with four transverse black 

 lines; the first and second lines double, first near the base, abbreviated 

 hindward; second at half the distance between the first and the orbic- 

 ular mark; third dentate, somewhat diffuse, between the orbicular 

 mark and the reniform mark ; fourth denticulate, beyond the reuiform 

 mark; submarginal line zig-zag, of the ground hue, but distinguished 

 by the brownish shade which it traverses. Marginal line black, fes- 

 tooned ; orbicular and reniform marks large, with black borders, which 

 are interrupted in front, the former slightly elongated and oblique, the 

 latter of the usual form. Hind wings pale cinereous, darker toward 

 the exterior border. Discal points aiid veins also darker ; fringe white. 

 Length of the body, 8 lines ; of the wings, 18 lines. 



" West Canada. In the Eev. Mr. Bethune's collection." 

 This description applies very fairly well to some pale forms of mes- 

 soria, and the species must be close to the latter from the characters 

 given. 



Agrotis vetusta Wlk. 

 1865. Wlk., C. B, Mu8., Lep. Het., xxxii, 601, 



" Mas. — Fuscescente cinerea ; i^alpi oblique ascendentes, articulo 3*» 

 longi-conico ; antenna3 robustte, setulosie ; ahe anticie nigro conspersie, 

 striga basali liturisj^ue panels nigris, orbicular! annuliformi, linea sub- 

 marginali cinerea angulosa, puuctis marginalibus nigris ; posticte pal- 

 lide cinereaj, fuscescente margiuatfe. 



" Male. — Brownish cinereous. Palpi obliquely ascending, not rising 

 so high as the vertex; second joint clothed with short closely applied 

 hairs ; third joint elongate-conical, acute, very minute. Antennse stout, 

 very minutely setulose. Abdomen cinereous, extending somewhat be- 

 yond the hind wings ; apical tuft very large. Fore wings thinly black 

 speckled, with a blackish basal streak, and with a few indeterminate 

 black marks behind the orbicular mark and near the exterior border; 

 orbicular mark composing a rather large black ringlet ; reniform mark 

 of the usual shape ; submarginal line cinereous zigzag ; marginal points 

 black. Hind wings pale cinereous, brownish towards the exterior 

 border. Length of the body, 10 lines; of the wings, 24 lines. 



" West Canada. In the Eev, Mr. Bethune's collection." 



Mr. Grote has suggested that this may be the same as murwnula G. 

 and K,, but this can scarcely be so if the description is at all to be re- 

 lied upon. 



Agrotis reticeiis Wlk. 

 1865. Wlk., C. B, Mus,, Lep, Ilet., xxxii, 692. 



" Foera. — Fuscescente cinerea, nigro conspersa, palpi oblique ascen- 

 dentes, articulo 3o minimo ; antennte subsetulosse ; alte anticoe lineis 

 tribus nigris duplicatis; la, indeterminata ; 2a, dentata; 3a, denticu- 

 lata; spatia marginal! uigricante lineam submarginalem augulosam 



