41 



posterior margin of the wings to the inner point of the metalHc 

 spot, where it stops ; the outer transverse line slightly waving or 

 somewhat crenate, and not very distinct, the outer space of two 

 shades, the inner portion darkest and brownish ash-color, but some- 

 what paler than the middle area, its outer margin tolerably well 

 defined ; marginal portions paler ash-color ; fringe concolorous, with 

 brown dots at the tips of the veins ; metallic spot single, silvery, 

 narrow, and shaped like an Italic Y, that is, an oval dot with the 

 inner end prolonged in two arms to the nerve. Posterior wings 

 dark fuscous, with a broad, pale, ocherous curved band across the 

 middle, and a pale orbicular spot on inner portion near the band ; 

 fringe pale, with brown points. Underside bronze, somewhat fus- 

 cous, with a distinct brownish band across both wings. Head very 

 small ; it and the thorax gray. 



"Expanse, 1.40-1.50 inches. 



"I have two specimens that appear to belong to prccationis, with 

 the silvery spot precisely as in simplex." 



Simplex may easily be distinguished from what may be called the 

 Y variety of ^9?-C6'a^io??is, not only in the different shades of its 

 colors, but also by the transverse anterior line, or the one that 

 separates the basal from the middle area. In simplex this is 

 straight, while in precationis it is wavy, with a downward curve 

 about midway between the silvery spot and the hind edge of the 

 wing. In simjjlex the silvery spot is considerably larger than it is 

 in precationis, as in the latter it is greatly indented on its upper 

 side ; and when this indenture is extended so as to divide the 

 silvery spot into two parts, the latter then has the form in which 

 it appears in what may be called ( '?) variety of precationis. 



In this latter variety the silvery marks quite closely resemble 

 those found on the fore-wings of the Cabbage Plusia Moth. Prof. 

 Thomas, in his report referred to above, describes this moth as 

 follows : 



"Expanse of the wings, 1.25 to 1.50 inches. Front wings narrow 

 and wedge-shaped, as is usual in this group ; of a dark, grayish- 

 brown color, a pale spot near the base between the prominent 

 veins ; near the middle two small silvery- white spots, the inner one, 

 which is the larger, of an irregular U shape, with the opening 

 forward, the interior space usually marked with a slender fulvous 

 line ; the outer one, close to the base of the former, and sometimes 

 connected with it, is round or oval in form. These spots are 

 usually very distinct, and bright silvery color, but occasionally are 

 dull, and sometimes scarcely distinguishable, but seldom, if ever, 

 entirely wanting in both wings. Usually a scarcely distinguishable 

 band, slightly paler than the ground color, crosses the wing towards 

 its outer margin ; the fringe of the outer margin is of the same 

 color as the wings, and is dentated. Hind-wings smoky, with a 

 coppery luster, darkest towards the outer margin; fringe pale or 

 whitish, with darker inner line. Underside smoky, that of the 

 front wings darkest, with a pearly, varying on the hind-wings to a 

 slightly coppery lustre. The thorax dark grayish-brown; abdomen 

 more or less fulvous ; that of the male with a very distinct tuft of 

 bright fulvous or yellowish hair on each side of the fifth segment, 

 folding over the back of the following segments." 



