CATOCALA OBSCURA, NOV. SP. 



(PLATE III, FIG. 4 (J) 



Kxpands 2| to 21 inches. 



Thora.x above, dark grey ; alxloiucii black; beiieatli dirty white. 



Upper surface, ^'I'lmaries dark smoky grey, pretty evenly colored ; transverse anterior 

 and posterior lines black, varying somewhat in width and distinctness in different examples ; 

 a sub-terminal grey band between two brownish ones ; in some examples an almost obsolete 

 reniforra, but in the majority this appears to be replaced l)y a small round deep brown or 

 black discal spot; sub-reniform open. 



iSecondaries black ; fringes white, and in some cases black and white. 



Under surface white, with black bands. 



Habitat. New York. 



I received a number of this species from Mr. Angus who took them in the vicinity of the 

 village of West Farms, N. Y. ; he says they are difficult to discover, as they secrete themselves 

 in the crevices beneath the bark of trees, and the rustling of leaves, &c., will not start them 

 from their hiding places ; nothing short of hard raps against the tree trunks will do it. It 

 does not appear to be very rare ; I have seen examples in various collections for a number of 

 years past under the name of Lachrymosa, Vidua, and Insolabilis, so to get it out of its ob- 

 scurity, and as its a[)pearance is more obscure than any of its allies, I have christened it accord- 

 ingly. 



Mav 1st, 1873. 



(JATO(JALA RELICTA. Walker 

 7 CATOCALA FRAXINI, GUENEE, SPEC. GEN. VOL. VII, p. 83. 



( PLATE III, FIG. 5 cf , 6 ? ) 



Malk. Expands about 3 inches. 



Collar white ; thorax above white, mottled with black ; abdominal segments blackish, 

 edged exteriorly with white ; beneath whole body is white ; anal tuft white. 



Upper surface, primaries white, with a distinct row of black terminal spots ; basal patch 

 black, transverse bands and lines almost lost in C3ntre of wing, but become more distinct as 

 they near the costal and interior margins ; rcniform spot tolerably distinct, sub-reniform 

 almost obsolete. 



Secondaries black, with a regular narrow white median baud ; the discal spot of under 

 surface is visible, the basal part of the wing not being as dark as the balance; fringes white. 



19 



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