'"'imT.' J PKOCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MU8EUM. 255 



prettily marked with luossy-pfreeu aud rose-red, witli .strongly coutrast- 

 injj: wliite s. t, space; ajiciiii with a very even yellowish-green sutViisiou. 



The type of comis is a very bright, strongly marked specimen, like 

 typical oUvdcea, but so spread that the insect api)ea)S more plump, 

 shorter winged, and ditlerently marked. 



The variety obscurior is from ISIaine, and is very evenly dark gray 

 with a green suffusion, the lines velvety black, a red shade on t. p. line 

 iuferiorly, secondaries blackish. 



Variable as is the speeies in color, it is constant in essential details 

 of maculation. The median lines do not vary to any a[)preciable ex- 

 tent, and the reniform is always distinctly paler than the ground color. 

 Its range is very wide, but none of the varieties seem to be races. 



Mamestra rectiliuea SuiitL. 

 1887. Smith, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mas., x, 4(5.j ; MameBtra. 



Dark fuscous brown, with a deep crimson browu shading which is 

 variably distinct, and a yellowish, somewhat mossy green shading over 

 all. T. a. line geminate, with wide, rather irregular outward curve. T. 

 p. line angulate on costa, then rigidly oblique to hind margin, geminate. 

 Basal line distinct, geminate. S. t. line rarely distinct, pale, its cour.se 

 sinuate. Usually it is more or less lost in the irroration of the outer 

 part of wing. Ordinary spots essentially as in oUvacea, but the reni- 

 form is not so contrasting. Secondaries varying from fuscous to black- 

 ish, paler toward base. Beneath, dark gray, powdery, with variably 

 distinct outer line and discal dot. Head and thorax concolorous with 

 primaries, patagiie sometimes with white disc. 



Expands 25-28""" (1 to 1.12 inches). 



Habitat. — New York, Colorado, California, Oregon, Vancouver. 



Eight si)ecimens are in the INIuseum collection: New York (through 

 C. A'. R.) ; Vancouver (J. B. S., the ty[)es). 



Essentially like olivacea, from wiiich it ditlers primarily in the very 

 evenly oblique t. p. line, aud more irregular t. a. line. The maculation 

 is more powdery, and there is never so much contrast in the s..t. space. 

 There is usually a prominent, paler patch in s. t. space near the hind 

 angle, which forms an obvious feature in the appearance of the insect. 

 The abdomen of the female exceeds the secondaries, and is rather 

 prominently tufted. It is barely possible that this is a race of oUvdcea, 

 but a series of 20 specimens of the latter species — many of them west- 

 ern — do not show any tendency to invalidate the characters upon which 

 the species is based. On the other hand the identity of the male char- 

 acters indicates a very recent separation from the parent stock. 



Mamestra vau-media Smith. 



1887. Smith. Proc. V. S. Nat. Mas., x, JtKI: Mamtstra. 



Dark smoky gray, paler, with a reddish tinge beyond the t. p. line. 



Basal line indistinct. T. a. Hue geminate, unusually remote from base, 



outwardly obliipie, even, very sligiitly curved, T. j). line obsoletely 



geminate, slightly curved and inwardly oblique, reaching the hind 



