240 REVISION OF MAMESTRA SMITH. 



a large dark patch exteuding to t. p. line. Secondaries dull smoky 

 fuscous. Beneath, fuscous, powdery, distinct outer line and large 

 discal spot. Head and thorax concolorous with primaries, also white 

 marked. Harpes of male with the angulated tip dilated and rounded, 

 inwardly spinulose. Hind margin corneous, thickened, somewhat in- 

 curved. A short beak-like clasper near base. 



Expands 30'"'" (1.20 inches). 



Habitat.— California {S )', Colorado { 9 ). 



Not in the Museum collection. I have seen only two specimens, 

 agreeing in essentials; the $ from Mr. Edwards, the 9 from Mr. 

 Bruce. The species looks like capsularis, but is not so clearly marked, 

 has not the prominent W mark, and the male genitalia are entirely 

 different. 



Group DEFESSA. 



Robust species with trigouate, somewhat pointed primaries, oblique 

 outer margin, and gray or luteous colors. The group contains species 

 distinguished by no strong characters and is rather negatively defined. 

 The wing form is the only positive feature, and that varies to some 

 extent. Four species are referred to it, two of them luteous, two of 

 them ash gray, and, so far as known, no agreement in the sexual 

 characters. 



They may be separated as follows : 



Size larger; color luteous. 

 Sordid luteous; reniform all stained; s. t. line concolorous, not prominent; wings 



more pointed defessa . 



Bright, paler luteous; reniform large, iuferiorly dusky; s. t. liue distinct, pale, 



wings less pointed chartaria. 



Size smaller, colors ash gray; reniform moderate, not darker. 



Pale, median space darker, fuscous repeni ina. 



Dark ash gray, median space concolorous bkachiolum. 



Defessa is a dark, dull species, like a dirty trifolH; the lines are 

 black marked ; s. t. line not distinct. The secondaries are dull, smoky 

 brown or blackish. 



Chartaria resembles a bright form of trifolii, but differs in the course 

 of s. t. line. It is the most robust of the species referred here, and the 

 wings are somewhat more rounded. 



Repentina is a pale form, with much darker median space. The 

 orbicular is small, the reniform undefined. 



Brachiolum resembles cimeata, but lacks the yellow marking, and 

 has much more pointed primaries. 



Altogether the group is entirely an artificial one, composed of species 

 without other close allies. 



Mamestra defessa Grt. 

 1880. Grt., Can. Eut., xii, 88 ; Mamestra. 



"Also allied to trifolii, hnt with the subterminal line irregular and 

 dusky ; reniform concolorous, with an inferior black stain. The fore 



