NEW GENERA AND SPECIES OP NORTH AMERICAN NOCTUIDiE 



By JOU.^ B. 8MITII. 



The Ibllowiug descriptions of Ifoctuidie represeut iu part the new 

 material examined and studied in the preparation of a monograph of 

 the Noctuidai on which Professor Riley and myself have been for some 

 time engaged. Some of the descriptions have been in manuscript for 

 over two years, and it has been deemed advisable to publish the de. 

 scriptions now, in advance of the mcnograi)!!, which has been delayed 

 more than expected, the more as some of the generic and specitic terms 

 have gained currenc}^ without descriptions to authorize them. 



Fuller comparisons, tabular statements, and more detailed structural 

 statements will be reserved for the monograph. It might be added 

 also that many of the species described from single specimens have 

 been since received in larger numbers. 



Genus AGROTIS Tr. 



An unexpected variation in structure has been found in this genus, 

 DO less than twenty-six more or less sharply-defined groups being 

 recognized. A few of these will probably take generic rank ; but all 

 are here referred to under the old generic term. 



Group EXSERTISTIGMA. 



Under the term exsertistigma I have found three distinct species con- 

 founded by Mr. Grote, and in fact all the species of the group are hope- 

 lessly mixed in collections. Thus Mr. Graef has the type of exsertistigma 

 Morr.; Mr. Tepper has exsertistigma determined by Mr. Grote, and this 

 is like observabilis in collection Keumoegen, also determined by Mr» 

 Grote, and neither is the same as the type: a second specimen, asso- 

 ciated with the observabilis of Mr. Neumoegen's collection, is unlike either 

 of the others. The discoidalis of Mr. Hulst's collection is the observ- 

 abilis of Mr. Graef's collection, and the discoidalis of Mr. Edwards' col- 

 lection is different from either. So the facula of Mr. Neumoegen's col- 

 lection is entirely different from the same species iu Mr. Edwards' col- 

 lection. I have had, therefore, three distinct species labelled exsertistig- 

 ma by Mr. Grote, and at the same time three specimens, undoubtedly 

 the same species, with three different names. Careful comparisons with 

 the descriptions and the actual types in most instances has enabled me 

 to separate the species as follows : 



Collar broadly black at tip. 



Smoky brown; costa, transverse lines, and outer margin Inteous.. .exsertistigma. 

 Dark purplish or grayish brown, transverse lines distinct. Body robust ; primaries 



short, obtuse formalis. 



Red-brown; transverse lines feebly marked; t. p. hardly traceable. 13o:ly less ro- 

 bust; primaries more elongate and somewhat produced at apex. bixo.mixalis. 

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