44 



JOHN B. SMITH. 



the line is not well marked and often lost in part. A prominent lilack bar con- 

 nects the lines in the suhniedian interspaces and this is difluse siijieriorly, with 

 a brown tinge. S. t. line defined by a series of black marks which form a promi- 

 nent inward tooth between 4 and 5, and another on vein 3, this latter almost 

 reaching the t. ]>. line. Beyond this the terminal space is often reddish or brown 

 shaded, but it sometimes remains of the normal ground color. There is a series of 

 very small terminal brown marks which are often wanting. The median shade is 

 brown or black, outwardly oblique from costa to the black streak connecting the 

 median lines, then always brown from the middle of this line to the inner mar- 

 gin. Inwardly this shade is sharply defined to form the outer margin of the 

 orbicular, outwardly it is diffuse, obscures the reniform and darkens the median 

 space to the t. p. line. Orbicular large, oval, oblique, open to the costa, inferiorly 

 broadly outlined in black. Eeniform large, upright, centrally constricted, shaded 

 with reddish, indefined except inferiorly, where it is prominently black margined. 

 Secondaries smoky, with either a purplish, red or yellow shading. Beneath 

 smoky, with carmine powderings, a more or less complete outer line and a smoky 

 discal lunule. 



Expands 39-43 mm. ^ 1.56-1.72 inches. 



Hab, — Canada ; New England States ; New York ; Northern 

 New Jersey ; Pennsylvania ; probably also along the northern 

 boundary, at least as far west as Illinois. 



Twelve examples, representing both sexes, are before me. This 

 is the most striking species in our fauna, hence easy of recognition. 

 The variation is almost entirely in the amount of the brown shad- 

 ing and its richness ; this in turn being dependent upon the fresh- 

 ness of the specimen. The male antennae are shortly ciliated. 



Typical lambda has not been before me for comparison, but both 

 varieties have been compared and the characters studied. Unless 

 the specimens seen by me are not lambda, that species is distinct 

 from thaxteri. Until a much closer study has been made of the 

 typical form I do not feel warranted in referring our American 

 form as identical with the European species. 



LIST OF THE SPECIES. 

 XYLIIirA Oc.hs. 



1. X. semiusta Grt. 



2. X. hemina Grt. 



3. X. disposita Grt. 



4. X. bethunei G. and R. 

 5 X. patefacta Wlk. 



6. X. innominata Smith. 



signo.m Grt. 



7. X. oriunda Grt. 



8. X. gausapata Grt. 



9. X. ferrealis Grt. 



10. X. signosa Wlk. 



petulca Grt. 



11. X. amanda Smith. 



12. X. contenta Grt. 



pomona Smith. 

 X. itata Smith. 

 X. fagina Morr. 

 X. longior f^mith. 

 X. emarginata Smith. 



X. holocinerea Smith. 



