NO. 1376. LEPIDOPTERA OF THE KOOTENAI DISTRICT— DYAR. 827 

 NOCTUA OBLATA Morrison. 



Sixtv-six specimens, June ^o, July ll», 24. Auj^ust 4, 5. 7, 11, 1:^, IP,, 

 17. The species is iipparently double brooded. 1 could not obtain 

 liirva> of tlie first ])rood, and those of the second hibernated before 

 reachint^- maturity, so I am able to present only a partial life history. 

 Stao'c vi remains to l)e described. 



K(l(/. — Laid in a large patch. Two-thirds spherical, base well ilat- 

 tened, a little obli(|uely irregular. Ribs about 25, large, coarse, 

 deeply cut, crowned h\ the vertical reticulations, the cross-stria' dis- 

 tinct and forming rectangular cells over twice as wide as high. Vertex 

 qnadrangularly reticulate around the elevated microp^dar rosette. 

 Waxy white, no change till hatching; diameter. (>.!* nun. 



Stage I. — Head bilol^ed, brownish luteous. Body normal, joint 12 

 a little enlarged, feet of joints 7 and S snudl; whitish, cei-vical shield 

 sordid with black spots. Tubercles round, black, distinct; feet pale; 

 shields l)lackish. 



Stage II. — Head bilobed, shining light brown with a few dark dots; 

 width 0.5 mm. Bod}'- with joints 5-6 and 12 slightly enlarged, sordid 

 pale in ground, heavily shaded with dark brown of the color of dead 

 leaves. Dorsal and subdorsal lines white, broken, less distinct at the 

 ends. Below spiracles sharply paler, no defined lines. Feet sordid; 

 tubercles rather large, black; shields concolorous. 



Stage III. — Head bilobed, the apex in joint 2, shining luteous, 

 tubercles and front irregularly marked in brown, faint reticulations 

 on the lobes; width 0.85 mm. Body moderate, a little smaller before, 

 joint 12 enlarged, feet nearly equal. Pale brown washed with darker, 

 forming dorsal oldique streaks from dorsal postei'ior to su])dorsal 

 anterior and covering nearly all the sides. Dorsal line pale, subdorsal 

 white dotted, stigmatal broad, pale, its narrow edges nearly white; 

 su])ventral area pale. Tubercles round, black; no shields; seta» fine, 

 obscure; feet pale. 



Stage lY. — Head as before, luteous ])elow, l)rown on the vertex, 

 tubercles dark; width. 1.1 nun. Dorsum pale ))rown. dark marbled, 

 with a deep brown broken lattice. Doi'sal and subdorsal lines dotted 

 white, dark edged. Sides \-cry dark, hardl}- a trace of lines, the sub- 

 stigmatal white edged, its filling like the subventral area, pale brownish. 

 Feet pale; tubercles black; shields absent. An interpolated stage 

 occurred in several of the larvte between this and the next, with widtii 

 of head of 1.4 mm. 



Stage Y. — Head rounded bilobed, shining pale brown with dark 

 l)rown bands and reticulations; width, 2.1 mm. Body pale carneous 

 brown, cervical shield concolorous, but with black points in a V- 

 shaped row, a dorsal white line and subdorsal spot anteriorly. Dorsal 

 dark lattice faint and broken, showing intersegmen tally as geminate 



