¥0L. V. 



BROOKLYN, ilUGUST, 1889. 



NO. 



CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARD A MONOGRAPH OF 



THE NOCTUIDy^ OF TEMPERATE NORTH 



AMERICA: GENUS OLIGIA HUBNER* 



By John B. Smith. 



Genus OLIGIA Hidmer. 

 Verzeichni^s bek. Schmett. 404. 



Mr. Grote characterizes the subgenus Oligia, as follows: — "A 

 slight form, allied to Hadena, apparently disiinguishat le by the more 

 curved divaricate labial palpi. Antennas in the male simple, pubescent 

 beneath. Eyes naked with short black la-hes. The thoracic squamaiion 

 consists of narrow scales. Maxillse rather weak. Abdomen linear ; 

 collar broad ; thorax crested behind ; front broad, exceeded by the 

 palpi. Legs unarmed ; the median spurs of hind tibiae situate without 

 the middle of the joint." To this may be added that the wings are ob- 

 tuse, and that the anal tuft of the male is rather larger than usual. The 

 genus is not a strongly characterized one, and its characters are mostly 

 negative. The species are small in size, closely scaled as a rule, the 

 maculation usually distinct, and the t. p. line always even and a little 

 outivardly oblique /rom costa — this latter being rather an unusual character 

 and distinctive of the genus. 



Of the species listed in our catalogues those described by Guenee 

 have never before been satisfactorily identified, and several different 

 forms have done duty as Hiibner's chalcedonia. By careful comparisons 

 of long series of specimens with the descriptions, I have succeeded in 

 definitely fixing the species intended by both Hiibner and Guenee. 



At the head of this series comes /estivoides, distinguished by shorter, 

 comparatively broader primaries, bright color, and large, oblique reni- 



* See Ento. Amer., vol. V, 105, for introduction to this series. 

 Entomologica Americana. Vol. V. 6 



August 1889. 



