218 JOHN B. SMITH. 



tation of the median band of primaries, and this is a decidedly vari- 

 able (juantity, the size is not unusnal for modeda, and it does not 

 differ perceptibly in bulk or wing shape. 



A third species has been described by von Reizeustein as S. Cablei 

 in " Scribner's Monthly" from Louisiana. The larva also is described 

 as horned and feeding on water plants. The determination that the 

 species was new seems to have been made upon Mr. Grote's authority, 

 but Mr. Grote has since disclaimed knowledge of the species, and in 

 his new list (1882), he leaves it without number, and in a note to p. 

 10 he says: " This will probal)ly turn out to be modeda^ The larva 

 differs considerably from that of modesta and Prof. Riley tells me it 

 represents an Arzama. It therefore adds nothing to the species which 

 does not seem as imago to be anything but modeda. 



SMERIXTHIJS Lati. 

 Hist. Nat. Ids. p. 431. 



Head small, sunken, the front smooth, not tufted, palpi short, in 

 the males scarcely, in the female not exceeding front. Tongue rudi- 

 mentary. Eyes small ; antennse fusiform, curved at tip, ciliate or 

 pectinate in the % , simple in the 9 . Thorax short, convex ; the 

 vestiture with a plush-like appearance. Abdomen plump, cylindric, 

 moderately long and tapering, the segments not spiuulose. Legs 

 subequal, short ; unarmed in geminatus ; the others have a very 

 short, blunt spine at tip ; middle and j)osterior tibire with a pair of 

 small spurs at tip. Primaries with the venation of the group; 11, 

 rarely 12 veined ; the outer margin usually produced beneath the 

 apex, and again on vein three. The s})ecies differ somewhat in this 

 respect. Secondaries rather long, with costal margin straight, the 

 anal angle somewhat produced. 



The genitalia are after one general type. Side pieces oblique 

 beneath, straight superiorly, the tip broadly rounded. From the 

 upper margin arises near the tip a somewhat spatulate, concave, cor- 

 neous process rounded at tip, and on the inner margin nearer base is 

 a broader process, which tapers rather abruptly to a point. In 

 geminatus t\\QV^^ are two such. The supra-anal plate is produced into 

 a broad, flat hook, with ol)tusely rounded tip, the inferior projection 

 very much reduced in size. 



Three si)ecies are referred to this genus, agreeing in general style 

 of ornamentation, wing form and essentials of structure, yet suffi- 

 cientlv different to have been referred to as many genera. 



