AmeriqAna 



VOL. V. 



BROOKLYN, JUNE, 1889, 



NO. 6. 



CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARD A MONOGRAPH 



OF THE NOCTUIDiE OF TEMPERATE 



NORTH AMERICA. 



By John li. Smith. 



It is innv -everal years since I first began the study of the North 

 American Nocltndce, with the intention of eventually producing a mono- 

 graphic work on the species. In this intention I was entouraged by the 

 assistance of Lepidopterists generally, and hist began where I ought to 

 have ended — with a critical review of the genera of our fauna. This was 

 published in the Bulletin of the Brooklyn Entomological Society, and 

 the work, crude at best, gained nothing from the fragmentary manner 

 of publication. Yet the paper was a useful one, since we had nothing 

 of the kind previously, and it has formed a basis upon which new ex- 

 perience has been continually added, and will continue to be added, 

 until such time as a new and more complete work, covering the same 

 subject, can be produced. Since that time I have published on the 

 Helioihince in the Transactions of the .American Entomologxal Societ\\ 

 and have described a few species, mosdy in the Prc)Ceeilings of the 

 United States National Museum. About six years ago I. was employed 

 by Prof. Riley as a field agent of the U. S. Department of Agricultuie, 

 to make observations for the Entomological Division. Prof Riley was 

 greatly interested in the work I had begun, and gave me every assi'-iance 

 and encouragment in his power. As many of the species were injurious, 

 and he had already worked out the habiis of a large number and had 

 notes on many more, we finally agreed upon a ct)njoint work on the 

 family, which might be published by the Government, and which should 

 contain a full summary of all obtainable information original and com- 



Entomologica Americana. Vol. v. 1 June 1889. 



