142 PEOCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



specimens there is a black band between the antennae. Collar with a 

 black band at base and another near the tip. Patagiae black powdered. 

 The primaries have all the markings evident. The basal line is gemi- 

 nate, black, and usually reaches to the middle of the wing. The trans- 

 verse anterior line is geminate, black, the two parts equally well 

 marked, the intervening space more or less dusky. As a whole, it is 

 very even, and slightly oblique from costa to inner margin. The 

 median line is usually marked on the costa, and in the best cases 

 extends obliquely to the reniform, below which it is again marked as a 

 smoky shade line to the inner margin, running a little oblique inwardly 

 and somewhat lunulate. The transverse posterior line is geminate, 

 black, squarely bent over the cell and as squarely bent in below. The 

 outer line is usually even and rather more distinct than the inner, 

 which is usually lunulate, in strong contrast to the general rule. The 

 intervening space is perhaps a little paler than the ground color, but 

 not contrasting. The subterminal line is more or less evident, in all 

 cases very irregular, i)ale, defined by blackish or smoky shadings, which 

 are more prominent in the terminal space than before. There is a series 

 of black terminal lunules preceded by a lunulate pale line; the fringes 

 are cut Avith smoky. The basal space is more or less black filled, and 

 there is visible an indefined black line from the base to the transverse 

 anterior line, wliich is not prominent and does not indent the trans- 

 verse anterior line in the least. There are no dagger marks beyond 

 the transverse posterior line. In some si)ecimens, usually where the 

 base is dark, there is a very distinct dusky shading, somewhat tri- 

 angular in outline, beginning in the submedian interspace .just inside 

 of the transverse posterior line and broadening to the outer margin, so 

 that it includes all the space between veins 2 and 0. This is not present 

 in all specimens however, and is, as stated, usually associated with 

 forms in which there is a tendency to a dark basal si)ace. The ordi- 

 nary spots are evident and sometimes (juite distinct. The orbicular is 

 round, or nearly so, ringed with black scales, a little paler than the 

 ground color, but with a large dusky center. The reniform is large, 

 kidney shaped, rather indefinitely outlined by black scales, and more 

 or less obscured in the center. The secondaries are smoky, with a more 

 or less evident yellowish tinge. Beneath smoky or yellowish, powdery, 

 both wings with an outer line and a discal spot. 



Expanse, 1.25 to 1,55 inches (31 to 38 mm.). 



Habitat. — Canada to Texas, west to South Dakota and the base of 

 the Eocky Mountains; Maine, June and July; Minnesota in June; 

 Missouri in March; Washington, District of Columbia, in June; cen- 

 tral New York, July; Vermont in July. 



This is a distinctly variable species in certain directions; neverthe- 

 less when once properly separated out, the variation is seen to consist 

 rather in the relative distinctness of certain spaces than in any real 

 change in the markings. The simplest form is one in which the entire 

 ground color is evenly powdered with smoky or blackish. In this none 



