March, 1903.] SmITH: NkW NoCTUID.E FOR I903. 18 



between this form and th^ one just described as rosea ; but the occur- 

 rence of another example of the latter makes it safe to separate this as 

 a good s})ecies. The very simple maculation should make it a recog- 

 nizable form ; but there is a possibility that the ground is somewhat 

 discolored and more yellowish than a fresh specimen would be. , 



General Notes on Mamestra. 



In my revision of the species oi Mamestra, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 

 XIV, 197-276, I listed 89 species, of which 76 were autopically known 

 to me. Of those that were then unknown I have since recognized 

 sutrina, vithda and dimmockii. Condita has been referred to the Agro- 

 tid series. Strigicoilis has been referred as a synonym to laudabilis. 

 Expiilsa Wlk. is a synonym of Carneades insujsa ; septentrionalis 

 Wlk. is Carneades messoria ; punctii^era WW. is an earlier name for 

 Carneades pastoralis Grt. ; z'^/wjA? Wlk. is also a Carneades ; ohliviosa 

 Wlk. is Xylophasia lateritia or something closely allied ; and asso- 

 cians Wlk. is the Noctua liibricans of Guenee. Ferrealis Grt. and 

 impolita Morr. yet remain unknown to me. I have again compared 

 all my material carefully and find nothing to lit to either description. 



On a renewed examination of the species in the British Museum, 

 made in 1900, I again looked over the type of Maviestra cristifera 

 Wlk., and concluded that Mr. Grote was right in declining to accept 

 the reference of his lubefis as a synonym to Walker's species. The 

 lack of the brighter colorings which I had believed to be due to fading 

 or to local variation now seems normal, with larger material, and the 

 species is really nearer to my invalida than to lubens. I do not care 

 to make this reference positively, however, because I have no ma- 

 terial from the Hudson Bay faunal region and, with my present in- 

 formation concerning this fauna, I do not consider a good species at 

 all improbable. At all events lubens Grt. is not cristifera Wlk. 



In the Biologia Centrali Americana Mamestra configurata ^Vlk. 

 is figured on PI. XXVI of the Heterocera, Fig. 20. I noted that 

 this was a very close ally of Barathra occidentata Grt., but delayed 

 making the reference until I could examine the type. This was done 

 later and 1 have no doubt that the two names refer to the same spe- 

 cies. Walker's species was described from Doubleday's Mexican ma- 

 terial in 1856, Cat. Brit. Mus. Het. , IX, 234, and the generic char- 

 acters are obvious. Mr. Grote's material came from New Mexico, not 

 so far removed in faunal character. 



