227 



Thera latens sp. nov. (PI. XIX, Fig. 5). 



Primaries with the pale ground color rather heavily sprinkled with 

 brownish scaling; a broadly geminate subbasal black line, inclined obliquely 

 outwardly below costa and forming a prominent angle in the cell, the included 

 space (about 1 mm. in width) being browner than the basal and antemedian 

 areas ; antemedian line blackish, in general parallel to subbasal line with a 

 sharp angle in cell just above origin of vein 2; this line is followed at some 

 distance by a smoky parallel shade line, the included space being quite dark 

 brown ; the central median space is paler and contains a distinct discal dot ; post- 

 median line dark, in general parallel to antemedian line and not approaching it 

 at inner margin as in constricta Pack., forming a prominent blunt angle opposite 

 cell, preceded by a shade line similar to that following antemedian line ; subter- 

 minal space pale ; s. t. line white, strongly crenulate and preceded by a brown 

 shade. Secondaries very pale smoky with faint traces of a discal dot and bent 

 median and subterminal dark lines. Beneath pale brownish with the macula- 

 tion of the upper side repeated in a very faint way. Expanse 28 mm. 



Habitat: $, Colorado (Bruce); 5, Golden, Colo. 2 $,2 9. Types, 

 Coll. Barnes. 



This species is closely allied to otisi Dyar but the general ground 

 color is much browner and the sub-basal band seems more prominently 

 angled below costa, although long series may prove this feature to be 

 inconstant in which case latens will probably be better considered as a 

 race of otisi than a good species. 



Dysstroma truncata Hufn. 



The receipt of a good deal of material recently in this difficult 

 group has necessitated a rather intensive study of the $ genitalia 

 on our part; Mr. Pierce in his Genitalia of the British Noctuidae p. 

 65, PI. XL, has given the distinguishing features of truncata Huf. and 

 citrata Fabr. (immanata Haw.) ; the easiest means of differentiation is 

 found in the Cornuti of the Aedoeagus which in truncata constitute a 

 narrow, elongate group of fine spines whereas in citrata they form a 

 broad, less elongate group of stout spines, the aedoeagus itself being 

 correspondingly stouter and chunkier; we might further note that 

 the Anellus lobes which are thumb-shaped are broader and stumpier 

 in truncata, being on a distinctly shorter pedicel, and the long hairs 

 with which they are clothed are coarser toward the base on the inner 

 side. Using the genitalia as a means of separation we found that we 

 have truncata distributed more or less generally through the whole of 

 Northern North America and in high altitudes of Colorado and Cali- 

 fornia; we found however nothing distinctive enough in the genitalia 



