HO.1140. yOBTH AMERICAN NOCTUIDAE—SMITH AXD DTAR. 89 



rather short, distinctly constricted before the tip, so that this seems 

 enlarged and obliquely rounded. The clasper is stout, well developed, 

 with the superior jirocess long, strong, and well curved. There is no 

 finger-like process from the superior margin. 



ACRONYCTA LAETIFICA, new species. 

 (I'lates III, fig. 12, adult; XVII, fig. 21, leg; XX, fig. 9, iiiale, genitalia.) 



Ground color a creamy white, more or less black powdered. Head 

 and thorax as usual, the <lisk sometimes faintly yellowish. Primaries 

 with all the markings fairly evident. Basal line geminate, brown, 

 marked on the costa and sometimes extending to the basal dash. 

 Transverse anterior line geminate, oblique, more or less broken, black 

 or brown, varying much in distinctness. On the whole, it is f)utwardly 

 obli(jue. The median shade is black marked on the costa, extends 

 obliquely to the reniform, and is sometimes traceable as a brown shade 

 line i)aralle] with the transverse i)Osterior line to the inner margin. 

 Transverse posterior line narrow, black, more or less lunulated, pre- 

 ceded by a white shade and followe«l by a blackish or smoky shading, 

 which darkens the outer portion of the wing and relieves a paler sub- 

 terminal line. The latter is more or less broken, not defined, and in 

 pale specimens scarcely traceable. There is a line of black dots at the 

 base of the fringes, beyond which they are cut with black. There is a 

 distinct black basal dash, which usually extends only to tlie inner por- 

 tion of the transverse anterior line, and in only one case, among the 

 specimens before me, beyond the outer i)art of this line. There is a 

 distinct black dagger mark, which crosses the transverse posterior line 

 opposite the cell, and another that is much more prominent and accom- 

 l)}inied by a dusky shade, which crosses it in the submedian interspace. 

 The ordinary spots are well defined, of the ground color. The orbicu- 

 lar is is oval, irregular, black-ringed; the reniform (juite small, well 

 defined inwardly, and sometimes entirely complete. In most cases a 

 black line unites the spots inferiorly, but this is sometimes wanting or 

 very feebly defined. Secondaries smoky in both sexes, paler in the 

 male, and witli a yellowish tinge. Beneath white, powdery, with a more 

 or less obvious irregular outer line, and on all wings a discal spot. 



Expanse, 1.50 to l.GO inches (37 to 40 mm.). 



Habitat. — New York, New Jersey, Florida. There are no dates on 

 any specimens. 



This species has been confused with furcifera, with which it really 

 has very little in conjmoii. The creamy white primaries are much 

 nearer like those of morula or occidentalism although paler and with a 

 more silky luster than either. This will distinguish them quite readily 

 from all other forms in which the ordinary spots are tied. In this 

 species the connecting line between the ordinary spots tends to become 

 obsolete, and in the specimens before me three have the connectian 



