—— 
TONIC 
AMERIGANA 
VOL. V. BROOKLYN, JUNE, 1889. NO. 6. 
CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARD A MONOGRAPH 
OF THE NOCTUIDA OF TEMPERATE 
NORTH AMERICA. 
By Joun B. Smirn. 
It is now several years since I first began the study of the North 
American Vocturde, with the intention of eventually producing a mono- 
graphic work on the species. In this intention I was encouraged by the 
assistance of Lepidopterists generally, and first began where I ought to 
have ended—vwith a critical review of the genera of our fauna. This was 
published in the Bulletin of the Brooklyn Entomological Society, and 
the work, crude at best, gained nothing from the fragmentary manner 
of publication. Yet the paper was a useful one, since we had nothing 
of the kind previously, and it has formed a basis upon which new ex- 
perience has been continually added, and will continue to be added, 
until such time as a new and more complete work, covering the same 
subject, can be produced. Since that time I have published on the 
Helothine in the Transactions of the American Entomological Society, 
and have described a few species. mostly in the Proceedings of the 
United States National Museum. About six years ago I was employed 
by Prof. Riley asa field agent of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 
to make observations for the Entomological Division. Prof. Riley was 
greatly interested in the work I had begun, and gave me every assistance 
and encouragment in his power. As many of the species were injurious, 
and he had already worked out the habits of a large number and had 
notes on many more, we finally agreed upon a conjoint work on the 
family, which might be published by the Government, and which should 
contain a full summary of all obtainable information original and com- 
ENTOMOLOGICA AMERICANA, VOL, V. 1 JUNE 1889. 
