REHN AND HEBARD 227 



History. — The genus was founded in 1898 on Morsea calijornica, 

 being very briefly described from two specimens which were con- 

 sidered "possibly immature." In the light of our present knowl- 

 edge this appears very certain. The references between the 

 date of the original description and 1909 contain no additional 

 information. In the latter year Rehn and Hel)ard reported the 

 capture of additional material of the genus and published the 

 first figures of the same. These authors recognized a geographic 

 race Morsea californica taninlpaisensis occurring on Mount Tamal- 

 pais, north-central California. 



Distribution. — From north-central California (Mount Tamal- 

 pais), south in the chaparral belt of the Coast Range and ad- 

 jacent lowlands to the mountains of southern California and 

 portions of the lowlands at their bases (south to NelUe, San 

 Diego County), not occurring as far as known on the eastern 

 or desert slope; from south-eastern Nevada (Crestline and Cali- 

 ente) southeast to central Arizona (vicinity of Prescott). No 

 matei'ial has been taken in the desert areas between the two re- 

 gions known to be inhabited by the genus. 



Remarks. — The relatively extensive series before us is not as 

 rich proportionately in adult material as we might care to have it. 

 Also, on account of the fragility of the insects, perfect specimens 

 are not the rule. However, the material clearly demonstrates 

 that while a single species alone is present, it is divisible into 

 three well-marked geographic races or subspecies. These are 

 typical Morsea californica of the mountains of southern Cali- 

 fornia, M. c. tamalpaisensis of the Mount Tamalpais region in the 

 Coast Range north of San Francisco Bay and M. c. dumicola 

 of the central Arizonan and higher southern Nevadan regions. 

 The first two are known to intergrade in material from Del 

 Monte, California, but no material from localities between the 

 ranges of typical californica and c. dumicola is known, and the 

 two forms are considered subspecies solely on the degree of dif- 

 ference. 



In California the genus is a member of the presumably ancient 

 chaparral fauna, while in Arizona and in Nevada it is present in 

 what might be considered an equivalent of the same, although 

 little definite or compara1)l(' iiifoi'mation is available regarding 



THANS. AM. ENT. SOC, XLIV. 



