NORTH AMERICAN NOCTUIDAE— SMITH AND DYAR. 143 



of the markings are prominent, and the elevated scales are distinctly 

 visible. Another may become slightly paler throughout, except for the 

 lines and other markings, and in such cases there will be more contrast 

 and the maculation will be more distinct. The tendency is to the 

 formation of a band over the transverse anterior line. The two parts 

 of the line are unusually Avell separated and quite even, the space 

 between them blackish. The lower part of the basal space also tends 

 to become powdered, and sometimes the entire region is more or less 

 shaded. In such cases the median space is usually contrasting, and 

 we get another triangular shade extending from the outer part of the 

 median space to the outer margin. This species never has a dagger 

 mark running inwardly from above the anal angle, and it is therefore 

 separable in all cases from darescens. I have seen no specimen, out of 

 nearly two hundred that I had for examination, which I could not 

 readily refer to either haniamelis or clarescens without hesitation. Some 

 faded specimens or rubbed examples of hamamcUs may at first seem to 

 resemble clarescens; but a very little study will show the difference 

 between the two very distinctly. There is notliing that is at all char- 

 acteristic or different from the rest of the series in structural charac- 

 ters; but as compared with clarescens the anterior femur is decidedly 

 more slender. The species is a common one and has been often bred. 

 1 am not aware, however, that any number has been raised from a sin- 

 gle batch of eggs, and any suggestion that a series of specimens were 

 specifically identical merely because the larvae seemed to be so, can not 

 be considered as proof of the fact asserted until it has been shown 

 that there was no variation in the larvae. 



LARVA. 



GuENKE, Spec. Gen. Noct., 1852, 1, p. .52 (briimosa). — Goodell, Can. Ent., 1877, IX, 

 p. 61 (liamamelia). — Packard, Fifth Rept. U. S. Ent. Coiiim., 1890, p. 169 

 (hrumom)] Fifth Rept. U. S. Ent. Comm., 1890, p. 169 (ovata). 



Htaye I. — Whitish, translucent, setae all white except two on the 

 cervical shield, single, pointed, no subprimaries; I and II in a square on 

 joint 12. Tubercles large, white; no marks, but the food gives a green- 

 ish tint. Head round, whitish or slightly testaceous; width, 0.3 mm. 



Stage 7J.— Head sharply bilobed, white; width, 0.4 mm. Body color- 

 less, the food green. Tubercles white, high, with central seta and 

 crown of about four shorter but equally thick ones. Warts IV and V 

 single haired, not high; VI of two small setae. 



Stage III. — Head, 0.7 mm. ; whitish, body faintly greenish ; warts slen- 

 der, long, smooth, conic, concolorous, with central seta and small 

 diffuse crown; all white, I-III; IV smaller, V single haired, VI with 

 several long hairs. No secondary setae except possibly subventrally 

 on joint 12-13. 



Stage IV. — Head, 1.1 mm. ; whitish, tubercles on the epicranium yellow 

 and a brown dot below the upper tubercle. Body greenish, tubercles 



