THE LEPIDOPTERIST 39 



crocataria of Fabricius could be and select a type answering 

 nearest to the description. 



Fabricius in the "Supplenientuni Entomologiie Systemati- 

 cse" Page 450, No. 43, 1798, describes crocataria as "a yellow 

 geometrid from Virginia." The description calls for a yel- 

 low geometer with minute dots and transverse spots, the latter 

 having pale centers. It is evident from an examination of a 

 series that this description might apply to a number of races 

 and species. The females, from all localities, tend in most 

 instances, to having the pale centered innner marginal spots. 

 The males of the same species may or may not have the pale 

 centered spots, so it is evident that this is of no specific 

 value. Therefore, it is rather difficult to select a type from 

 such a meager description. The locality Virgina shows it 

 to be an Atlantic Coast form and probably about the same 

 as would occur around Washington, D. C, New Jersey or 

 New York, possibly Pennsylvania. I have a species among 

 my material which answers to Fabricius descriptions and oc- 

 curs in the states mentioned above. This species I have 

 selected as the type because it is most readily recognized 

 from the genitalia and les hable to be confused with the 

 more complicated forms. It is very difficult to classify from 

 the markings except in one or two cases as practically all 

 species look about alike. There may be good characters 

 in the markings which could be made out when a large series 

 of bred specimens and life histories are available but until 

 then we must rely on the genitalia. 



Figures I. and II. show typical male and female genitalia of 

 crocataria Fabricius. 



I would have liked to have given the life histories in this 

 paper but hope this will pave the way for a future paper 

 on that subject. 



The genitalia of male crocataria shows a broad, kite- 

 shaped penis with several spines on the outer margin near 

 top. There is a wart-likc projection on the upper costa of 

 valvae, covered with spines, which is called the ampulla and 

 is, in some cases, an important character. There is a horn- 

 like projection near the base of the valva; which I have 

 termed the ceros, and in typical crocataria this organ is 

 much reduced. 



(To be continued) 



