^°l'89l!''] PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATKJNAL MCSEUM. 249 



s. t. line are not enough marked to refer the species to the W-album 

 group. 



The genital structure of the male is characteristic. The harpes are 

 upcurved beyond tho middle, and then abruptly, nearly rectangularly 

 bent, and produced into a narrow si)ur, broadening lappet like at tip, 

 and there inwardly spinulose. From this bend, superiorly, arises the 

 stout somewhat twisted and irregular corneous clasper, not reaching 

 the tip of the harpe. The figure will probably explain this structure 

 more satisfactorily. 



Mamestra obscura Smith. 



1887. Smith, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mas., x, 4tH ; Mumeatra. 



Dull, smoky, fuscous, with a faint brownish tint. Median lines 

 vague or obsolete. S. t. line distinct, narrow, pale, marked by a pre- 

 ceding black shade. A pale line at base of fringes. Claviform want- 

 ing. Ordinary spots incompletely black margined, concolorous. Ken- 

 iform, with a faint reddish Hush. Secondaries, pale fuscous. Beneath, 

 even, i)ale, powdery, with dusky outer line and discal spot. Head and 

 thorax concolorous with primaries, collar pale tipped. 



Expands 33""" (1.32 inches). 



Habitat. — ? Arizona, Wisconsin. 



The type is in the Museum collection, presumably from Arizona (coll. 

 J. B. S.), and I have associated with it another specimen from Wis- 

 consin (coll. O. Meske), which differs in the more obvious median lines, 

 but seems similar in all other respects. Both are males, and the sexual 

 characters agree, in main features at least, so far as I could examine 

 them. The locality of the type is uncertain. It came to me with a lot 

 of Arizona material, but from a collection containing much from other 

 localities. The thoracic and abdominal tuftings are distinct, but not 

 prominent. The harpes of male are rather broad, somewhat abruptly 

 tapering to an acute tip. The clasper is moderately long, somewhat 

 irregular, slightly curved and acute at tip. 



Mamestra ectypa Morr. 



1875. Morr. Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Mist, xviii, 118; Mamestra. 



hella Grt. 

 l-*83. Grt., Papilio, in, 30; Mamestra. 



Kather rich, dark, umber brown, with a violet tinge before t. a. and 

 after t. p. line. Basal line distinct, double. T. a. line rather even, 

 outwardly curved, a strong dent on vein I. T. p. line lunulated, nearly 

 parallel with outer margin; both lines obsoletely geminate. S. t. line 

 contrasting, pale yellow, sinuate, marked by preceding dark spots. A 

 row of black terminal lunules. Claviform outlined in velvety black, 

 and followed by a pale shade which extends obliquely upward over the 

 orbicular to costa. Orbicular rather large, oval, oblique, pale ringed, 

 with a somewhat darker center, Reniform rather long, upright or 

 slightly oblique, black margined, concolorous or slightly paler. Second- 



