KO.1140. NORTH AMERICAN NOCTUIDAE— SMITH AND DYAli. 179 



MEROLONCHE LUPINI Grote. 



(Plate.s III, li-;^. 2, adult; X, fif?. 4, female adult; XV, fij?. 8, male antonnii; XVII, 

 (ig. 1, legs; XXII, (ig. 2'.^, male genitalia.) 



Apalela liipiniGiiOTK, Bull. Buff. Soc. Nat. Sci., 1873, I, p. 7!>; Ibid., 187(), III, p. 78. 

 Merolonche lupini Gkotk, 111. Essay, 1882, p. 50; Tapilio, 1883, HI,]). 112. 



(leiienil color a somewhat yellowisli a.slieii gray. Collar and patagiao 

 more or less black marked, but without very definite lines or bands. 

 Primaries powdery, but ratlier smooth, and with all the markings well 

 written. Uasal line geminate, evident on the costa, vague below that 

 I)oint. Transverse anterior line geminate, the inner narrow, outwardly 

 bent and outcurved between the veins; the outer ditt'use and more 

 evenly oblique. Transverse ])osterior line distinct, denticulate, a little 

 sinuate, but as a whole parallel with the outer margin. As a rule it is 

 continuous, but it is sometimes broken into lunules ami is then preceded 

 by a white shade. Median shade line evident in all si)ecimens, but 

 most distiiu;t in the female; narrow, dit!use, irregular, obviously angu- 

 lated on the median vein, and reaching the internal margin close to the 

 outer part of the transverse anterior line. Subterminal line pale, dif- 

 fuse, marked outwardly by a series of more or less conne(;ted dusky 

 si)ots. A series of black terminal dots, beyond which the fringes are 

 cut with black. Orbicular small or moderate in size, round, concolor- 

 ous, outlined in blackish. Keniform moderate in size, imperfectly 

 defined, and somewhat obscured by the median shade which crosses it 

 and forms the inward angle just below. Secondaries smoky, with a 

 discal lunule, and crossed by two vague dusky shades between and 

 beyond which the wing is paler. Beneath, primaries dusky with a 

 broad gray outer margin; secondaries gray, with a large black discal 

 lunule and an incomplete dusky band. 



Expanse, 1.50 to 1.75 inches (.'{7 to 44 mm.). 



Habitat. — Mendocino County, California. 



Specimens of this species are usually in unsatisfactory condition 

 because of their tendency to grease, and the yeUowish tinge that is 

 usual is i)robably not natural. The species is fairly well marked, but 

 it is quite certain that another smaller and mure powdery species which 

 may be my ursina has been confused with it. The true species is quite 

 evenly gray and scarcely "hoary." The only variation in the seven 

 specimens before me is in the relative distinctness of the median shade 

 line. 



MEROLONCHE SPINEA Grote. 

 (Plate X, figs. 2, 3, mahi and female adults.) 



Apatela Hpinca (Jrotk, Bull, liuff. Soc. Nat. Sci., 187G, III, p. 78. 

 Acroinjcta spitua IIknuv Edwards, Pac. Coast Lep., No. 27, 1878, ]>. 3. 

 Merolonche spinva Gkote, 111. P^ssay, 1882, p. 50; Papilio, 1883, HI, p. 112. 



Female. — "This species resembles Inphii in structure and size, and 

 may not be eventually considered a good species. It differs by the 



