AMERICAN LEPIDOPTERA. 37 



structural characters of the male do not differ from those of nitela, 

 save that the tip of the harpes is not nearly so strongly notched, 

 while the clasper itself is somewhat heavier. The insect is by no 

 means common, and so far as [ am aware no one has had as many 

 specimens as Mr. Bird, who has written of its early stages. 



Hydroecia limpida (in., pi. 2, tig. 24, % genitalia. 



1852.— Gn., Spec. Gen. Noct., i. 124, Gortyna. 



1856.— Wlk., Cat, Brit. Mus. Het., ix, 157, Gortyna. 



1873.— Grote, -Bull. Buff Soc. Nat. Sci., i, 110, Hydrcecia. 



1881.— Grote, Bull. Geol. Surv., vi. 269, Gortyna. 



1893.— Smith, Bull. 44 U. S. Nat. Mus., 178, Hydroecia. 

 Grouud color a very deep umber-brown, the median space of the primaries 

 shaded more red-brown : the s. t. and sometimes the basal and terminal spaces 

 as well, with a purplish tinge. The collar is tipped with whitish. Primaries 

 with the markings traceable in most cases: but the chief ornamentation consists 

 of the contrasting white ordinary spots. Basal line marked by yellowish scales. 

 T. a. line, hardly denned in any examples seen by me; principally marked by 

 the slight difference in shade between the basal and median spaces. This indi- 

 cates that it is a little incurved to the submedian veins and then bent strongly 

 outward to the hind margin. T. p. line geminate, almost blackish, with an out- 

 ward bend to vein 4 and then somewhat incurved iu its course to the inner 

 margin. S. t. line irregular, marked by reddish or yellowish scab?s and by a 

 series of blackish spots which may be irregular, lunulate or formed into an 

 almost continuous line. There is a blackish line at the base of the fringes, which 

 are usually a little darker than the terminal space, but may be a little lighter. 

 The median shade is blackish, outwardly bent from the middle of the costa to 

 the lower angle of the reniform, then inwardly bent almost to the middle of the 

 inner margin. Ordinary spots white, the orbicular irregular, usually with a 

 central brown dot; the reniform oblique, moderate in size, a little constricted 

 centrally, and the lower portion usually wider than the upper. It is made up 

 of a narrow yellow central luuule, around which are grouped seven irregular 

 white spots. Sometimes the central luuule is also white. The claviform is dou- 

 ble, that is, consists of two spots, which may be of about the same size, or tbey 

 may be different. Either one of them may be the larger, and either of them may 

 be reduced to a mere point, The apex has usually a yellowish or reddish tint. 

 Secondaries smoky, blackish, the veins marked, a discal lunule present in some 

 cases. Beneath gray, powdery, sometimes almost purplish, becoming broken 

 outwardly. Both wings with an exterior line and a dark discal lunule. Ex- 

 panse 1.28-1.60 in. ; 32 40 mm. 



Hub. — Eastern and Middle States; Webster, New Hampshire, 

 September 26th ; Jefferson, N. H., in August ; Chicago, 111., Sep- 

 tember 24th. 



This is one of the dark species in which the ordinary spots are 

 white and contrasting; prominent because of the contrast, which has 

 a tendency to obscure the balance of the ornamentation which is 

 exceedingly ill marked. Most of the specimens that I have seen 



TRANS. AM. ENT. SOC. XXVI. MAY. L899. 



