NORTH AMERICAN LEPIDOPTERA. 139 



lyncea Clem., Journ. Ac. X. Sc. Ph. iv, 1859, 159, Pnchylia ; Morr., Syn. 1862. 

 182 ; Grt., Bufl'. Bull, ii, 150, pr. syn. ; New List 1882? an sp. dist. 



venezuelensis Schaufuss, Nunquam Otiosus, i, 16, 1870; Butl., Pr. Zool. Soc. 

 Lond. is, 578, pr. syn. 



Dull luteous brown, varying to brighter, paler more yellowish or reddish brown. 

 The vestiture at base of thorax is paler, more yellowish. Abdomen, laterally 

 yellowish, extending toward the dorsum at the incisures ; more distinctly so near 

 base. Primaries marked and banded with darker, smoky brown ; a large, semi- 

 oval, pale, apical patch, pointed at the costal margin and apex. Basal space 

 darker, beyond which is a transverse, sinuate and dentate line. At basal third 

 is a series of three rather obscure, not entirely parallel transverse lines, accom- 

 panied by a deeper, more reddish shade ; beyond this is another outwardly curved 

 transverse line, dentate on the veins. From the pale apical patch a darker shade 

 extends to the middle of the outer margin making it of a triangular form. 

 Anal angle grayish. Discal spot distinct, with centre of ground color. Second- 

 aries dull luteous, with a black central band, a broad black outer margin, not, 

 however, reaching to the anal angle, and a narrow blackish line just above this 

 margin, often obsolete towards the margins ; the little projection at anal angle is 

 pure white. Beneath uniform, rather bright reddish yellow, powdery. An extra 

 discal darker line crossing both wings, and beyond this is a series of darker 

 veuular dots, also common to both wings ; between the two there is often a more 

 or less evident additional transverse line, visible only in bright specimens. Ex- 

 p:inds 4.25—5.25 inches; 1.06—1.30 mm. 



Hub. — Florida, Texas, Central aiul South America. 



This species is really an intruder in our fauna, belonging to a 

 tropical type. It is decidedly variable in ground color, and in the 

 distinctness of the niaculation ; in dark specimens the latter is often 

 obscured and difficult to make out. The oval apical pale patch 

 however, and the yellow and black secondaries with the pure white 

 anal angle render it a form easy of recognition. 



It is one of the oldest known American insects. Madame Meriau 

 figures it in her " Insects of Surinam," and Clerck figures it in his 

 " Icoues." 



Fabricius (Syst. Ent. 540) describes the larva from the figures, and 

 says of it " larva viridis, flavo lineata, caplte caiidaque nigris." It was 

 said to feed on the Fig. Subsequent authors seem largely to have 

 drawn their information from the same source, Boisduval, in 1874, 

 referring to Madame Merian's figure and describing the larva as 

 green, transversely striated with yellow, with the head, the first seo-- 

 ment and the anal parts black. The horn is short and arcuated. 

 Burmeister gives a more detailed description. 



