62 JOHN B. SMITH. 



variably marked by white. There is always a large irregular white costal patch 

 which iucliides the black, puuctiform orbicular aud extends to the narrow, up- 

 right black reniform; in one case it included this spot. A second white, much 

 smaller patch, is at the inception of the t. p. line. In one example the terminal 

 space is mostly white, in three others it is uniform with the dark shading. 

 Three specimens have a more or less obvious whitish j)atch on the middle of the 

 inner margin ; two specimens have a whitish streak from base to t. a. line, which 

 latter is white marked in one example. T. p. line a series of black interspaceal 

 spots, sinuate in general course, sometimes accompanied by metallic blue scales. 

 S. t. line white, slender, more or less broken, irregular, preceded by black scales 

 which, in one case, seem to have obsorbed the white. A series of l)lack terminal 

 marks on the veins. Sometimes all beyond the t. p. line is deep red-brown. 

 Secondaries black, with the disc tawny yellow, veins and a discal lunule black. 

 Beneath, tawny yellow, in one case with only a discal lunule and a costal mark 

 at outer third black. Usually there is a black outer margin, an outer half band 

 and a black discal spot. The primaries may have part of the disc also blackish. 

 Expands 20-25 mm. = .80-100 inches. 



Hab. — San Diego, Sououia and Placer Co. (June), California ; 

 Sierra Nevada ; Oregon. 



Four exainple.s, male and female, selected from a series to show 

 variation, are under examination. Of what this variation consists 

 has been sufficiently indicated in the general description. The 

 wings are broad, outer margins rounded, apices obtuse. The sec- 

 ondaries branch 3 and 4 one-third from end of cell ; 5 is as strong 

 as the others, and is from a short spur of the cross-vein close to the 

 median. 



The species should be readily recognized by the tawny second 

 aries and very dark primaries, on which the two white costal patches 

 only are really relieved. 



Acontia al»cloiiiiiiali!« Grote. 



1877, Grt., Can. Ent., ix, 1.57, Tarache. 



1893, Smith, Bull. 44, U. S. Nat. Mus., 298, Aconfia. 

 Head and thorax smoky gray-brown : collar white lined at base and sometimes 

 white mottled, patagise white edged and rarely all white. Abdomen dark smoky, 

 narrowly white ringed. Primaries mainly white to the outer portion of median 

 space. The basal space is always gray mottled, at least on costa and may be en- 

 tirely gray, in which case the t. a. line is indicated as nearly upright, a little 

 angulated on the median vein. From this angle a gray shade may extend across 

 the white portion of the median space dividing in into two large subquadrate 

 patches. T. p. line starts from a white costal spot, is then black, broken on the 

 veins, the spots irregular, sinuate in course, usually preceded by metallic blue 

 scales. S. t. space more or less red-brown, rarely gray. S. t. line white, precc^ded 

 by black scales and shadings. Terminal space irregularly mottled with white, 

 gray, blue and black, no two specimens alike, save that the apex is always dark. 

 A broken black terminal line. Fringes mostly dark, but always broadly cut 



