OF NORTH AMERICA. 19 



Genus SCEPSIS Walker. 



" The head is larger in proportion to the rest of the body than in 

 Ctenucha, since it is a little broader than the prothorax, while in 

 Ctenucha it is not as broad. The vertex is not so thickly scaled ; the 

 front edge of the clypeus is broader and straighter, thus making the 

 whole clypeus square; as long as broad, since the sides do not narrow 

 so much as usual towards the front edge. Upon removing the scales, 

 the occiput and epicranium are, together, equal in length to the cly- 

 peus. The occiput is transversely oblong, and divided by a mesial 

 impression into two halves, considerably shorter than broad. The epi- 

 cranium is subtrapezoidal, narrowing rapidly in front, and bilobed 

 anteriorly by a deep, mesial impression. The two ocelli are situated 

 not on either of the pieces, but just below the antennae, and at each 

 side of the suture, between the two above mentioned pieces. The 

 clypeus is a little longer than broad. At its base, it is obtusely angular 

 between the antennae ; its sides narrowing slightly towards the front 

 edge, which is nearly square. On the basal half of the piece, is a 

 narrow ridge. Mandibles, very slender, directed outwards, with long, 

 fine, dense bristles. Labrum, small, equilaterally triangular. Maxil- 

 lae, well developed, reaching, when unrolled, beyond the base of the 

 abdomen. 



"Antennae, like those of Ctenucha, but with longer and more hairy 

 pectinations. In the females, the pectinations are shorter ; clavate, 

 ending in setae, which are more apparent than in Ctenucha. Palpi, 

 ascending, acute and slender, reaching beyond the front by a distance 

 equal to that between the bases of the antennae. Thorax, rather slen- 

 der, a little longer than broad. The scutal pieces of the pro-thorax 

 are united closely along the medial suture, each half not being so sep- 

 arate or so orbicular as in Ctenucha. The patagia are narrow, not 

 reaching to the end of the meso-scutellum. Owing to the thin scanty 

 squamation, the form of the tergal pieces of the thorax can be very dis- 

 tinctly seen; the meso-scutellum is hardly as long as broad, and is very 

 obtusely pointed behind. It is much narrower and longer than in 

 Ctenucha; so, also, the meta-scutellum, which is rounded behind, and 

 very slighdy produced into a slight obtuse angle. 



" Primaries, three times as long as broad, being long and narrow. 

 Costa, straight to the outer third, where it is curved slowly around to 

 the somewhat produced apex. Outer margin, one-half as long as the 

 inner; very oblique. 



" The costal nervure terminates at the outer third of the wing, and 

 runs very close throughout its length to the edge of the wing. First 



