AMERICAN LEPIDOPTERA. 173 



Eemarks on Dr. Boisduval's "LEPIDOPTERES DE LA CALIFORNIE." 

 BY AUG. R. GROTE AND COLEMAN T. ROBINSON. 



In the twelfth Volume of the Annales de la Societ6 Entoinologique 

 dc Belgique, Dr. Boisduval reproduces his first paper on Californiau 

 Lepidoptera, with additional species and corrections. The Volume 

 bears the date of 1868 — 1869 ; so that no earlier date can be ascribed 

 to Dr. Boisduval's paper, with which it commences, than Juhj 1868. 



It is necessary to note this, since certain of the species had been 

 described and illustrated by ourselves in these pages under the date 

 of January of the same year. 



Dr. Boisduval enumerates eighty-four species of Diurnals as found 

 in California. This number is given without reference to the numer- 

 ous species described by Mr. Edwards. In foct Dr. Boisduval's ma- 

 terial is still evidently that collected by M. Lorcjuin, and on which 

 his first paper was based, and shows no acquaintance with subsequent 

 discoveries. The error of regarding certain analogous or representa- 

 tive species from our Western District as identical specifically with 

 European or Eastern insects, is continued and repeated. California 

 is credited with a " Thanaos cervatnes,'^ stated however to be "un 

 peu plus grand que les individus de I'Espagne, and a " Thanaos Jiive- 

 nalis," conversely " un peu plus petite que les individus de la Greorgie." 



In the iEgeriidae three new species are described under the genus 

 S'isia. The use of the generic name instead of xl^}geria Fahr.^ does 

 not seem to be warranted by Fabricius' writings, and it should rather 

 be retained for that genus of Sphingidaeof which S. fuciformis is typ- 

 ical, and from which Fabricius afterwards separated the species of 

 ^■Egeria. 



In the Sphingidae, Marro/hssa thctis, Boisd. Ann. Soc. Ent. Fr. 

 3 Zieme Ser. Bull. p. xxxii, has been figured and described by our- 

 selves in these pages as Sesia thetis. The species appears to represent 

 our Eastern Sesia diffinis in the Western District. Under the name 

 of Macroi/fosaa Erato, Dr. Boisduval evidently describes Eupro.ser- 

 pinus phaeton. This small species, which offers many characters in 

 common with the European Macroglossum stellatarum, nevertheless 

 seems to us generically distinct. Its synonymy may be recorded as 

 follows : 



TRANS. AMER. E.NT. SOC. (23) OCTOBER, 1870. 



