-76- 



The eggs from which my observations were made were laid on 

 June 19th, and the young larvae emerged on July 2d. The first 

 moult took place on July 9th, the second moult on July 17th, the 

 third moult on July 24th, the fouth on July 30th, and the last moult 

 on August 4th. The larvae were full grown on August 12th. 



The cocoon is irregularly oval, and is of a tough, sordid white 

 texture, and is spun on the ground amongst leaves. Single brooded. 



Food-plants: various species of oaks. 



A New Species of Agrotis. 



BY JOHN B. SMITH. 



Agrotis atristrigata n. sp. 



Ashen gray, black powdered; collar with a black, transverse line. Pri- 

 maries heavily black powdered, all the transverse maculation obsolete. Or- 

 l^icular elongate, narrow, fused with the small, upright reniform, else all the 

 normal maculation absent. A paler shade runs from the end of the cell to 

 the ape.x, and veins 3 and 4 are white marked nearly to the margin, lightening 

 that region. The fringes are cut with white; secondaries white, with a broad, 

 soiled, outer margin. Expands 1.2c inches; 30 mm. 



Hab.—N. W. British Columbia. 



This species has all the structural characters of Hollemani, and 

 comes between that species and biclavis in the synopsis. The ordi- 

 nary spots are very small and scarcely distinct. The specimen is a 

 poor one and badly rubbed, and would not have been described, but 

 that it was a % , and the affinities were so distinct as to render its 

 recognition certain, should other specimens be turned up. 



Among the Nocture from Thibet which I received some weeks 

 ago, quite a number prove to be well-known insects of the European 

 fauna, while a few greatly resemble our "American cousins." I 

 shall refer to it in time after having worked up the material on hand. 



At the entomological auctions at Stevens' , in London, fabulous 

 prices are often realized for rare specimens or showy insects new to 

 science. Some months ago as much as ^20 and ^30 was paid for 

 Assam and Bhotan ardiidce, and the purchasers were happy at that. 



A portrait of Prof S. A. Forbes, fourth State entomologist of 

 Illinois, together with a pen sketch of his life, adorns the Trans. 

 Illinois State Hort. Soc. for the past year. 



