''^'sai!''] PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 217 



Mamestra liquida Grt. 

 1881. Cirote, Papilio, i, 5H ; Mamestra. 



Fuscous brown, stronjjly irrorat(^ with bluish fjfray in basal space, 

 along: inner inar<;in, ami in s. t. space— the latter is, indeed, chiefly bluish 

 fjray, more or less irrorate with the <;r()und color. Transverse lines 

 geminate, included space pale, the detiiiinj;- lines hardly distinct. T. a. 

 line oblique, sli^^htly lunate; t. p. line lunulate, parallel with outer 

 margin. S. t. line broad, yellowish, marked by the dark terminal space 

 and a fuscous preceding shade; its course is arcuate, interrupted on 

 veins 3 and 4 with a variably i)rominent but always distinct W-mark. 

 A row of black terminal lunules. The basal space is powdery, varying 

 in predominating color; sometimes it is more gray, sometimes more 

 fuscous. LTsually the basal lino is traceable. The median si)ace is 

 fuscous brown, powdered with gray along inner margin ; a more reddish 

 shade through center and beyond the reniform, and a distinct but variably 

 broad gray shade along vein 2, which sometimes becomes a very promi 

 ncnt feature. Claviform, with velvety black outline, moderate in size. 

 Orbicular usually oblong, oblique, gray, with sometimes a dusky center. 

 Keniform upright, rather elongate, somewhat constricted at middle, 

 with a reddish shade. S. t. space prevailing blue-gray; a reddish-brown 

 costal shade, narrowing suddenly, and following t. p. line as a faint 

 cloud. Secondaries sordid fuscous, rather paler through the center. 

 Beneath, somewhat ocherous, powdery, with a discal lunuleon all wings. 

 Head and thorax coucolorous with primaries. 



Expands 35-38""" (1.40 to 1.52 inches). 



IIaritat. — AYashington. 



Wanting in the IMuseum collection. This species is readily recognized 

 by the bluish grays, t. space and oblique line of the same color throu"-h 

 median space. It has a rough, powdery ai)pearance, not easily mistaken, 

 and is very distinct from all its congeners. 



The harpes of the male are rectangularly bent at one half the entire 

 length and strongly dilated at tip. At the outer edge of this dilation 

 is an acute tooth ; at the inner face it isspinulated. At the angulation 

 of the harpes is a concave corneous process, forming the clasper, which 

 is dillicult to describe, and is more readily understood by a reference to 

 the figure. In the sexual characters the resemblance is strou'dv to 

 leyitima and more so to liquida, and indeed the superficial appearance 

 is much the same, save for the distinct W in the s. t. line. A thoroughly 

 natural grouping wouhl associate these species, and some day another 

 more easily visible character may enable this to be done. 



Mamestra capsularis Gii. 



18r.-2. Gn., Sp. Gen. Noct., ii, 22, PI. 8, f. 3: Dianthacia. 

 1857. Wlk., C. H. Miis., Lep. Het. xi. .'")0.-): Dianthacia. 

 l!^81. Grt., Can. Ent., xiii, 12- : .Mamintra. 



propulsa Wlk. 

 1857. Wlk., C. R. Mns., Lep. Hot. xi, 52'j; liaphia. 

 18G8. Grt. & Kob., Trans. Am. Ent. Soc, li, 7?; pr. syu. 



