CATOCALA PERPLEXA. 39 



Secoudaries red, of a somewhat deeper shade than Parta ; median band extends ahuost to 

 the abdominal margin ; fringes white. 



Under surface resembles that of Parta in a great measure, the prineipal difference being 

 that the mesial band extends almost to the interior margin, in which respect it is nearer to 

 some examjiles of Unijuga. 



Two examjiles from which the above description was taken were captured in tiie vicinity 

 of Brooklyn, N. Y., by Mr. Julian Hooper of that city, one of which, the original of the 

 figure on plate V, he generously added to my cabinet. 



I am not partial or addicted to the divcrtisemeut of hunting Lepidopterological mare's 

 nests, but I must confess that this insect has perplexed me considerably ; I showed it in company 

 ■with PartH to a valued entomological friend, asking him if he thought it might be tlie latter, 

 " I would not like to figure it as the typical form" was the answer, so, without arriving at 

 any definite conclusion, I have offered the figure for the inspection of lopidopterists, and with 

 much doubt provisionally cite it as a variety of Parta ; the first and principal differences are 

 the dark blueish color, and two conspicuous white bars of primaries, neither is there that soft 

 smooth appearance so noticeable in Parta, there being more of a tendency to squamoseness as 

 in Unijuga ; then again the sub-reniform is connected with the transverse posterior line whilst 

 in Parta it is entirely isolated, there are besides many minor points of difference and altogether, 

 after frequent examinations, I am completely at a loss what to think about it, especially as both 

 Parta and Unijuga, the two species to which it is tlie nearest, ( if it be not identical with one 

 or the other, ) have less tendency to variation than any others I wot of, and it would be perhaps 

 venturing too far to hazard the conjecture that it be the result of a love affair between those 

 two. 



July, 1873. 



CATOCALA CONCUMBENS. Walker. y 



Cat. B. M. "^P 



(PLATE V, FIG. 12 J') 



Expands 2| inches. 



Head and collar chestnut brown ; thorax ashen grey ; abdomen light brown ; beneath 

 white. 



Upper surface, primaries almost unicolorous, pale silvery grey with slight shades of light 

 brown ; sub-basal, transverse anterior and posterior lines black, very fine and broken, being 

 in many places obsolete ; reniform indistinct and margined with white or light gi'cy ; sub- 

 reniform open ; fringes same color as wing. 



Secondaries rose color with both bands broad and even, neither of them extend to tlie 

 abdominal margin ; fringes yellowish white. 



Under surface, primaries white with usual dark bands ; inner base of secondaries rosy, 

 outer half white ; mesial band contracted at both ends. 



