CATOCALA AM ASIA. Abbot & Smith. 



Phalcma Amaaia, Lep. Georgia, Vol. II, p. 178, t, 90, upper figure, (1797). 

 Catocala Avmsia, Duncan, Nat. Lib. Eiit., Vol. VII, p. 205, t. 26, (1841). 

 Catocala Amasia, Queme, Noct., Vol. Ill, 103, (18.52). 



I PLATE IX, FIG. 12, cT-) 



Expands 1^ to If inches. 



Head and thorax pale grey and white, with l)hi(k mark.s ; abdomen yellowish; beneath yellowish white. 



Upper surface; primaries white, transverse lines black and distinct, reniforra and sub-reniform distinctly 

 defined by black lines, space from the transverse posterior line to the exterior margin brownish, traversed from 

 costa to inner margin by a narrow uhite zig-zag baud. 



Secondaries yellow, marginal band broken about two-thirds in from the costa, but replaced with a spot at 

 the anal ano-le ; median band narrow and nearly straight, anil discontinued some distance from the abdominal 

 margin. 



Under surface yellow, darkest at bases and at inner half of secondaries; a marginal and median band of 

 ordinary width extending from costa to inner margin ; of the sub-basal band, an almost imperceptible shade is 

 all that is noticeable, at least in the examples I have or have access to ; perhaps in large suites there may occur 

 examples in which tliis l)and may be more distinct. Bands of secondaries same as on upper side. 



Habitat. Virginia, Georgia, Florida, and other of the Southern States. Rare. 



According to Abbot, the caterpillar is grey, with darker lines laterally, and its tbod various kinds of oaks, 

 but that it also was found on the Pride of China, (Melia Azedarack, L.), that it spun the beginning of May 

 and came out the end of the same month. 



On the lower part of Abbot's plate 90, where this insect was first represented, there is another species 

 which purports to be its female, and which is found not only in the south, but as for north, to my knowledge, 

 as Rhode Island ; it is a species of the same size as Amasia, and was described as C. Formula * ; in a succeed- 

 ing plate it will also be delineated. 



The nearest European repressentative of Amasia is C. Nymphagoga,t but the similarity exists principally 

 in size and markings, as the upper side of primaries in the latter are dark, whilst in our species they are white, 

 but the style of ornamentation, arrangement of bands, etc., are very similar. 



But few examples of C. Amasia find their way into collections, owing to the non-residence of collectors or 

 Lepidopterists in the Sonthcrn States, and, however speculative and enterprising a people the Americans may 

 be, they have not yet found a way to make the natural sciences pecuniarily remunerative; and in this respect, 

 as well as in some others, we need not be ashamed to learn something from the old country. 



A FEW WORDS ON THE CATOCALA NOMENCLATURE. 



I have a sort of old-fashioned respect for the way the fathers of science u.sed to name these things ; for 

 iustauce, the Catocal* all had amatory names, relating to love or marriage, Amatrix, Cara, Relicta, etc., etc. 

 Of course these terms would soon be exhausted, and, in fact, have been; then, names that would in a great 

 measure keep up the connection would naturally be next selected, and the most appropriate ones for the purpose 

 would be those of women famous in ancient history for their lust or talents, or both combined, as in the case 

 of C. Messalina,! C. Helena § and.C. Bri.seis,l| of later authors, and it might be well to continue in the same 

 plan. Of upwards of forty species found in Europe and Siberia, none had the names of any scientist, ancient 

 or modern, bestowed upon them, though such names as Lederer, Felder, Hewifson and Moschler will, never- 

 theless, stand whilst printing or science endure. But to us progressive Americans it is owing that the 

 harmony of the Catocala Nomenclature has been broken ; Edwards first, with his C. Walshii, and then Grote 



*Grote & Robinson, Proc. Eat. Soc, Phil., Vol. VI, p. 27, (1866). 



t Esper, Schmett., 105, 5, (1787). 



% Catocala Messalina, Guenee, Noctuelitea, III, p. 105, (1852). 



I Catocala Helena, Eversmann, Bull. Mos., II, (1856). 



5 Catocala Briseis, Edwards, Proc. Ent. Soc, PhU., II, (1864). 



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