326 HOP-VINE HYPENA VERNAL VARIETY. 



of their outer margin, with two elevated coal black dots near its inner anterior and 

 two others near its inner posterior angle ; this spot sometimes extends to the base 

 of the wing, and is commonly margined behind by a pale gray oblique spot or 

 streak, in which is sometimes an angular brown line, like the letter V when most 

 distinct ; often a row of black dots posteriorly, parallel with the hind margin, as 

 shown in the figure; hind legs black; fringe blackish brown; surface with scattered 

 elevated black points. Hind wings pale dusky brown, edged posteriorly with a 

 darker brown line, the fringe paler. 



When the worms commence their depredations on the leaves, 

 in June, the winged moths which are then found among the 

 leaves, and which there can scarcely be a doubt are the parents 

 of the worms, are of an ash gray or dull white color, so much 

 paler than those which hatch from the worms later in the sea- 

 son that they would not be regarded as belonging to the same 

 species. They at this time appear much like the species de- 

 scribed by British writers, supposed by Mr. Stephens to be the 

 Hypena obesalis of Treitschke. This came to be regarded as a 

 British insect, from a single specimen which was found in the 

 celebrated collection of Mr. Francillon. But as no other speci- 

 men has ever been met with in England, Mr. Stephens finally 

 rejected it from the British list, and supposes that the specimen 

 which had misled him was probably a native of Bavaria, where 

 Treitschke met with the species which he describes. But as it 

 is now known that many North American insects were carelessly 

 placed with the British specimens in Mr. Francillon's collection, 

 it is quite probable that this Hypena was also from this country, 

 and is merely one of these pale vernal varieties of the hop-vine 

 snout-moth which occur upon this side of the Atlantic. Except 

 in being so much lighter colored and having their marks more 

 pale and indefinite, they correspond with the description above 

 given, but show in addition an oblique dusky streak upon the 

 tip of the wing, running towards the disk, this streak being 

 caused by a slight plait or groove in the wing, in which groove 

 the scales are less effaced. 



Several of the species of Hypena are marked like the present, 

 with little elevated tufts of scales jutting abruptly out from the 

 surface of the fore wings. In other species no such tufts appear. 

 We have a rather pretty example of this last kind of snout-moths, 

 in an insect which may be met T.lth with in our forests about 

 the middle of June, and which I name. 



