Notes on North American Zygaenidae and Bombycidae 



-with descriptions of new forms 



Hv 1 1 i:xKv Edwards. 



As far as I am able to discover from the literature at my command, 

 the following species of Hcterocera await description. It is somewhat 

 remarkable that six distinct forms of Gluphisia, (of which genus only one 

 species so far is to be found in our lists) should so long have remained 

 unnoticed, especially as those hereafter described, or at last two or three 

 of them, did not appear to be rare in the localities in which they were 

 taken. 



* Fam. CTENUCHIDAE. 



Scepsis gravis, n. sp. 



Very closely allied to S, fulvicollis, but a much heavier insect, with 

 the wings broader, and the abdomen much stouter and shorter. The 

 pectinations of the antenna; are longer than in the common species, the 

 clay colored costa is paler and therefore more distinct, the fringe of the 

 primaries is clay color and not dusky or shaded with dusky, and the base 

 of the head is wholly black, not at all encroached upon by orange. The 

 vestiture of the thorax is very long, in this respect approaching the cha- 

 racter pointed out by Dr. Packard as belonging to the species afterwards 

 described by Mr. Grote as S. Packardi (Proc. Ent. Soc. Philad. Vol. 4. 

 318). In other details it does not accord with this description, and I 

 can but think with Mr. Stretch that Dr. Packard and Mr. Grote had be- 

 fore them some faded examples of 6". fulvicollis, which as well as the 

 present species, is found in California. I have no doubt of the distinct- 

 ness of -S. gravis, whether it be S. Packardi or not, and I hardly think 

 Dr. Packard could have overlooked so important a character as the black 

 base of the head, to say nothing of the increased size and broader and 

 heavier appearance. 



My specimens. (5 in number) are all from Mendocino Co., Calif., 

 where they were taken by Mr. O. Baron. 



Scepsis var. pallens, n. var. 



I took in Denver, Colorado, during the past summer, several per- 

 fectly fresh examples of S. fulvicollis, of the form alluded to by Mr. Grote, 

 (I.e.) in which the collar is pale buff, indeed, in some specimens it may 

 be called dirty white. This is not owing to fading, as most of the 

 examples found were in excellent order, and not a few recently emerged 

 from the chrysalis. T propose for this the above varietal name. 



