376 



FOKTY-EIGHTH REPORT ON THE STATE MUSEUM 



and it may be questioned if some error has not occurred in the identifi- 

 cation of the moth. 



The above is all of the literature of the species, except list 

 references, known to me, while that of its congener, G. nitela, is 

 voluminous. 



Distribution. 



Mr. Grote gives as the habitat of this species, " Canada in Septem- 

 ber; Massachusetts; Northern New York in October; Colorado." I 

 have received the moth from Wisconsin: it has not been taken in my 

 New York collections. 



Collections in the Adirondack Mountains in 1893. 



The additions made to the State collection have been mainly, as in 

 preceding years', in the Adirondack region of the State. The collec- 

 tions made in Keene valley, Essex county, this eeason, during portions 

 of the months of July and August, were larger than usual. Lepidop- 

 tera attracted to light were unusually abundant. Over six hundred 

 examples, mostly belonging to the JVoctuidce, were taken by this means. 

 Two species of Piusia, a genus containing perhaps the most beautiful 

 of our Noctuids — P. u-aurvum and P. mortuorum which in f orm,er 

 years have been comparatively rare in the Adirondacks, although 

 belonging to high altitudes, were this year really common — more 

 common, indeed, than any other species. The first Phtsia purpurigera 

 ever taken by me was captured on August 6th. As the Plusias have 

 place among the rarer of our Noctuid^e, and are always regarded as 

 desirable additions to collections, the several species taken at Keene 

 valley this season, with the number of each, is herewith given: 



Piusia (Deva) purpurigera Walker, 1 



P. serea Hiibner, 1 



P. seroides Grote, 9 



P. balluca Geyer, 8 



P. bimaculata Stephens, 4 



Piusia precationis Guenee, 10 

 P. u-aureum Grote, 84 



P. mortuorum Guenee, 58 



P. simplex Guenee, 8 



The total number of Plusias — all taken within doors — was 183, 

 not including many worn and rejected examples appearing in August. 



Comparing the above with the collections reported by Mr. W. W. 

 Hill, in the western portion of the Adirondacks (Lewis county) during 

 the four ye^rs, 1875-1 879,* we find that nearly twice as many 



* In Seventh Report on the Survey of the Adirondack Region of New York, 1880, p. 387. 



