160 ZYGJEmDJE AND BOMBYCID^ 



Of the habits of this species Mr. Grote says Proc. Ent. Soc. Phil. , 

 vol. 4, p. 319), "P. compta clings to the stems of plants in dull 

 weather, not willingly flying, and may be readily shaken off into the 

 collecting bottle. The sexes do not differ. The wings are folded 

 round the body when at rest. " For my examples of this species I am 

 indebted to Mr. Belfrage, of Waco, Texas. Mr. Grote notes its oc- 

 currence at St. Louis, Missouri, early in October, which appears to be 

 later than the usual time of its evolution in Texas. 



I have unfortunately not been able to examine the original descrip- 

 tion of Dr. Fitch's Deiopeia aurea, but as quoted by Morris (loc. cit. ) 

 I have no doubt that it refers to the same insect as Pcecilopiera compta, 

 of Clemens. Under these circumstances Dr. Fitch's name takes pri- 

 ority. It is somewhat surprising that the wonderful similarity of these 

 descriptions has not been previously noticed, though the reason may 

 probably be the reference of the insect to a genus with which it has 

 no affinity except in color. Mr. Grote indeed suggests that Fitch's D. 

 aurea may possibly be a species of Cydosia, and places it under that 

 genus in the List of Lep. N, Am., Pt. i, 1868, but makes no mention 

 of its probable identity with any other described species. It is evi- 

 dently a species of wide geographical range, and while Texas and the 

 valley of the Mississippi may be looked upon as its home, its occur- 

 rence in Georgia is not surprising. Five specimens before me show 

 no tendency to variation, though Mr. Grote states that the specimens 

 collected in Missouri differ somewhat from Dr. Clemens' description* 

 without specifying, however, in what particular. 



