72 



Speaking of " Prodenia commelince''^ {;=^orn')iho<jall't)^ he wrote (Papilio, 



Vol. II, p. 43): 



With the well-known varieties of Laphygma frugiperda in mind, I have been partic- 

 ularly interested for a good many years in breeding this Prodenia, and I record here 

 my belief, which will be the accepted belief in the future, thai flavimedia and Uneatdla 

 are one species not distinct from ornithogalli Guen. The larvse, so far as I have bred 

 material, are extremely variable and not separable, and the same may be said of the 

 mature insects. They are more readily separable from the typical co;?!??ieZ/H,r, though 

 doubts even as to their specific distinctness from it are justifiable. 



In case ornithogalli and eudiopta should prove to be varieties, the 

 former name would take precedence, as it was described first, although 

 in the same publication. 



Tlie larva. — The general color of the larva of this species in its last 

 stage is much darker than that of the two forms previously mentioned, 

 the triangular spots in most individuals being velvet-black. The dor- 

 sal line is reddish-brown: the latero-dorsal stripe is bright canar}'- 

 3'^ellow, its upper fourth or third and lower sixth or eighth forming 

 distinctly separable stripes within the main stripe, and inclosing a 

 third duller stripe streaked longitudinally with undulating olive-l)rown; 

 the lateral or stigmatal stripe just below this is a little narrower, and 

 so closely streaked with black as to appear uniformly black except 

 under a magnifier. The latero-ventral stripe is of about the same 

 width as the lateral. It is light j^ellowish-brown dorsally, and darker 

 brown below, mottled with white. The ventral surface of the bodv is 

 olive-brown, greenish-olive medially, mottled with white. 



The difference between the larva of this species and that of ornitho- 

 galli may perhaps prove to be of a varietal nature onl}'. 



The length of the larva (inflated) when fully matured is al)Out one 

 inch and three quarters (45 """), and the width a little over a fourth of 

 an inch (7-8 """). An illustration of the larva, dorsal view, is given in 

 the last object figured in Plate IV (fig. 3, c), the object above it {li) 

 showing the lateral view of the penultimate stage. 



DISTRIBUTION. 



The distribution of this species appears to be the same as for the 

 preceding, any diflerence that may exist, so far as our records go, 

 being accountable for the fact that this form is liable to be confused 

 with ornithogtdli by those not perfectly familiar with both, as well as 

 by the somewhat greater scarcity of the present species. In New Jer- 

 sey eudiopta is credited ])y Smith with the same distribution as ornitho- 

 galli. It is common in the District of Columbia, and the moth is fre- 

 quently taken at lights. It has also been reported at this office from 

 St. Elmo and Falls Church, Va. ; Kirkwood, Mo.; Texas and Califor- 

 nia, and it has been recorded from jNIassachusetts, New York, Dayton, 

 Ohio (Pilate), and Ne])raska. 



