﻿*THE NOCTUIDAE OF CALIFORNIA. I 



BY JOHN B. SMITH, SC. D. 

 KNTOMOLOGIST OF NEW JEKSKY KXPEKIMK;nT STATION 



The Noctuid fauna of California is very rich, Ijut quite as imperfectly 

 known as it is wealthy. Few localities have been at all well-collected, none 

 have been thoroughly collected, and vast ranges of the State are utterly 

 unknown from this point of view. While there is quite a respectable list 

 of species described from the State, there are almost no good series in 

 eastern collections. A few examples are here and there, and some species 

 have never turned up again since the original types were taken and described. 



My own collection is quite as poor in Californian material as an^■ other, 

 and this series of papers, prepared at the request of Prof, liaker, will be 

 necessarily more or less incomplete, unless the California collectors help 

 out. I will be very glad indeed to look over and determine specimens that 

 may be sent me for that purpose, for the privilege of retaining such examples 

 as may be needed for my collection and for completing study series. 



The family Noctuidac is distinguished from moths of similar appearance 

 by the venation of the primaries (Fig. 71) or anterior wings. The sub- 

 median, or vein 1, is furcate or divided at base, veins 3, 4 and 5 are grouped 

 together out of the end of the median, vein 6 is out of the upper end of 

 the cell. 7 to 10 are out of the accessory cell which is usually present, and of 

 these 8 and 9 are usually on a shorter or longer stalk. Vein 11 is out of the 

 sub-costal and runs to the costal margin before the tip, while vein 12 extends 

 from the base just below the co.sta and reaches the margin a little beyond 

 the middle. It is desirable that the student should become familiar with 

 this type of venation and Cut 5 of Fig. 71 shows just what it looks 

 like. Use any common Agrotid, Hadenid or similar species to verify the 

 figure, and the easiest way to prepare the wing for examination is to rub 

 off most of the scales with a camels-hair brush, lay on a glass slide, put 

 on a drop of alcohol to wet thoroughly, then a drop of carbolic acid, full 

 strength, and cover with another slide or thin cover-glass. That will make 



*Tiie present is the first of a large series of most important articles 

 for publication of which in the Journal we have recently made arrangements. 

 Mr. Busck will give us a synopsis of the known Microlepidoptera of Cali- 

 fornia, Mr. Chamberlain of the Myriapoda, Mr. Folsom of the Thysanura, Mr. 

 Grinnell of the Rhopalocera, Sphingidre, and Pterophorid?e ; Mr. Burr of the 

 Euplexoptera, Air. Ranks of the Neuropteroid insects, .\raneida, Phalangida, 

 and Pseudoscorpionida, and so on. We shall assist these gentlemen to the 

 utmost with material, and we hope that other Californian stuflcnts and col- 

 lectors will do the same. 



