CATOCALA AMATRIX. 99 



Under surface yellowish white ; the secondaries sutfused with scarlet on the inner half; the usual bands ; 

 also a discal lune, more or less prominent in different examples. 



There are two common forms of this species; (he one, Fig. 15 of Plate XI, has the primaries uuicolour- 

 ous ; the other, Fig. 16, has a broad dash of dark brown on the primaries, extending the length of the wing, 

 from the base to the ape.x interrupted only by the sub-reniform. Neither of these are sexual varieties, as 

 plenty of both form occur in either sex. 



This species is found over tiie same great extent of country as the preceding [Cara). The Texan exam- 

 j)les are the largest, averaging 3| inches in expanse. 



The first Catocala that I ever saw in nature was of this species. "Ah! distinctly I remember," though 

 twenty-five years have passed si;ice then with their dreary cortege of woes, how Christian Sproesser, a stout 

 German ap|)rentice of my father, returned home one Sunday — full of beer — with a specimen of Amatrix 

 carefully impaled on a board with a big common pin. I sat for hours feasting my eyes on the splendor of its 

 scarlet wings, and hunting through an old German illustrated book, without a title page, which then constituted 

 my entomological library, to find out what it was. After profound deliberation, I arrived at the erroneous 

 conclusion that it was C Nupta, and labeled it accordingly. I then pictured it in three positions, upper and 

 under surface, and with the wings closed. I remember, also, how I manufactured lemonade to sumptuously 

 regale my Teutonic friend and to show my appreciation of his kindness in procuring me this peerless treasure, 

 and, finally, how the facial nerves of the said Sproesser contracted, especially around and about the region of 

 the nose, when I proffered him the mild beverage. But that example of Amatrix, and the solid youth who 

 captured it, have long passed out of sight ; the former to dust, and the latter, whom I still hold — on account 

 of that Catocala — in kindly remembrance, if living, I hope is well and more prosperous than the writer of 

 these lines, or, if dead, has gone to where he belongs. 



" For all have Iheir day, the grave and the gay, 

 Then blow to tlie devil and vanish away." 



NOTICES OF SOME NEW SPECIES OF WESTERN CATOCALA. 



From Mr. Henry Edwards, of San Francisco, I have lately received the types of his following unpublished species, all of which I 

 intend to figure at an early day. These, in common with most of the species from the Pacific Slope, belong to the Nupta group. And 

 whilst on this subject I would here mention that Nupta occurs, not unfrequently, in the Atlantic States. Mr. J. Hooper captured an 

 example near Brooklyn,. N. Y. ; Mr. Jos. Chase, of Holyoke, Mass., has a specimen which was taken near that place ; I have my.self 

 taken three, at different times, on willows near Keading, and I have seen several other .\merican e-xaniples in various collections. 



Catocala Mariana, Henry Edwards, MSS. , 



Expands 2f inches. Thorax and head squainose, dark grey ; primaries very dark grey or blackish, sparsely powdered with I ^ 



white; transverse anterior and posterior lines blackish, accompanied with white; sub-terminal white; reniform black and indistinct; 

 interior to the reniform a whitish space ; in the single specimen received the sub-reniform is open. Secondaries scarlet ; marginal band 

 of moderate width ; mesial does not extend to abdominal margin ; fringe white. Under surface white, with usual bands ; inner half of 

 secondaries scarlet. Closely allied to Un'sci's, but the transverse posterior line is entirely difierent, having the teeth nuich longer and 

 more acute, and presenting many other points of diflereuce. In all the examples of Briseis that I have, the mesial band of .secondaries 

 extends to the abdominal margin, whilst in this example of Mariana it does not reach to it by 3-16 of an inch. Taken on Vancouver's 

 Island. 



Catocal.v Hippolvta, Henry Edwards, MSS. 



Expands 2J inches. Head and body above pale grey mixed with white. Upper surface primaries very pale powdery grey, trans- 

 verse anterior and posterior lines brown, not dark, the latter with teeth nearly in a line with each other, of almost equal length ; reni- \_^^ 

 form dull brown, indistinct ; sub-reniform whitish, not connected with the transver.se posterior line ; sub-terminal line pale and 

 indistinct. Secondaries, colour as in Parta, marginal banil narrow and has two indentations on inner edge on half of wing nearest to 

 abdomen ; mesial band exceedingly narrow, widest in the middle, extends to within 2-lU of tlie abdominal margin, fringe white. 

 Under surface white, inner half of secondaries red ; usual bands. This is a beautiful insect. The grey of the upper surface of body 

 and primaries is paler than in any red-winged species I have ever seen, and in certain lights is almost silvery in appearance. The 

 extreme narrowness of the mesial on upper surface of secondaries is also most remarkable. Taken in San Mateo County, California. 



Catocala Ci.eop.\tra, Henrv Eldwards, MSS. 



Expands 2J inches. Head and thora.x dark bluish grey ; abdomen brownish grey. Upper surface ; primaries rather uniform 

 dark bluish grey ; transverse lines, reniform and sub-reniform, not very distinct and accompanied by yellowish brown shades; sub- \ _^^ 



terminal line paler, not prominent ; secondaries deep scarlet, bands not broad ; mesial ceases 2-10 of an inch from the inner 

 margin ; fringes white on e.xterior margin, grey on abdominal. Under surface white, inner two-thirds of secondaries red ; usual bands. 

 Taken in Contra Costa County, California. 



The peculiar blue-grey tinge of superiors will serve to easily separate this from allied forms. 



Catocala Lx'cian.-v, Henry Edwards, MSS. 



Expands 3 inches. Body and primaries above colour of Amatrix ; transverse anterior and posterior lines dark brown and very 

 heavy and prominent, the latter have the principal tooth more prolonged than in any of the others above alluded to; reniform large, i ^fi^ 



double lined ; sub-reniform open. Secondaries, colour of Parta ; bands narrow ; mesial same distance from inner margin as the preceding 

 species ; fringe dirty white. Under surface yellowish white ; inner half of primaries red ; bands all rather narrow. Habitat, Colorado. 



