no.1645. REVISION OF CERTAIN NOCTUIDJB SMITH. 247 



PH-ffiOCYMA OBLIQUA (Guenee). 



L852. Homoptera obliqua GtjenEe, Spec. Gen., Noct., Ill, p. 16, pi. xv, flg. 7. 



Ground color mouse gray to fawn brown, more or less washed with 

 blue gray. Head usually a little more brown. Collar and thorax 

 concolorous; posterior tuft sometimes brown tipped, as is also the 

 large tuft at base of abdomen. Dorsal tufts of abdomen distinct 

 in well preserved specimens, and sometimes white tipped. Primaries 

 with a wash of violet gray over the entire surface, more or less 

 marked; lines usually traceable, but none of them black or contrast- 

 ing. Basal space usually a little darker, and the outer e"dge of this 

 is often bordered by darker brown scales forming the t. a. line; there 

 is an outward tooth on the subcostal and below T this the line while 

 inwardly oblique is a little outcurved in the interspaces. Beyond 

 the t. a. line is the palest area of the wing, extending to an upright 

 or slightly angulated median shade beyond which the space is a 

 little more brown. Orbicular small, punctiform, brown, Reniform 

 lunate, usually diffuse, sometimes brown and fairly well defined 

 but not outlined, followed by a more or less obvious rusty reddish 

 shading. T. p. line slender, brown, tending to become lost, some- 

 times preceded by a cinerous shade; inwardly angulate opposite 

 the reniform and not much incurved below the cell; outwardly a 

 little shaded with brown toward costa in some specimens. S. t. line 

 obvious only below vein -4, thence to the inner margin parallel with 

 and close to the t. p. line, but darker and better marked, sometimes 

 emphasized by black scales. The upper part of the line is usually 

 traceable by a line of gray or brown scales or by both, but in many 

 cases it is entirely lost. The terminal area is more or less mottled 

 with gray, strigillate, and sometimes there is a darker shade beyond 

 the visible portion of the s. t. line. There may or may not be a brow u 

 terminal line, with pale dots at the incisions. Secondaries usually 

 with two, sometimes with three visible transverse shadings on disk 

 before the distinct brown band which extends from anal angle with 

 a slight incurve to costa just within the apex, becoming much less 

 obvious as it approaches the costa. The outer portion of this band 

 is determinate, edged by brown or black scales, and often followed 

 by a yellowish line; the inner portion is more or less diffuse in most 

 specimens. The terminal area is usually without markings, a ter- 

 minal line being occasionally present. Beneath dull yellowish to 

 pale brown, more or less powdery, with or without discal spots or 

 extramedian transverse lines on all wings. 



Expands, 1.48-1.92 inches=37-48 mm. 



Habitat. — New York to Florida and probably throughout the 

 Atlantic coast region to Canada and westward to the Mississippi. 

 Specific localities are; New York. Center. April 29-May 28, Long 



