182 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol.xxi. 



witli a broad black band above tlie middle, a slioit, narrow one below 

 tlie antennae, and another somewhat broader between the feelers. 

 Collar wbite at base, crossed by a broad black baud, the upper portion 

 red-brown, the ed^es tipped with white scales. Thorax red-brown, 

 the edges of the patagiae Avhite tipped. Abdominal tuftings at base 

 wliite, with black tips, the projuinent tufts brown. Priniaries white 

 with the ornamentation black and contrasting, but a little confused by 

 irregular black powderings, which sometimes darken the inferior por- 

 tion of the median space. Tlie most prominent features are three 

 almost round, red brown patches situated as follows: One near the 

 base, lining the si)ace between the basal and transverse anterior lines 

 and the costa and median vein; another close to the apex, tilling the 

 space between the transverse posterior and subterminal lines, the 

 costa, and vein 6; the third just above the hind angle extending from 

 the transverse posterior line almost to the exterior margin and between 

 veins 2 and .'>. Basal line geminate, i)rominent, black, terminating in 

 a larger black i)atch in the submedian intersi)ace. Transverse ante- 

 rior line geminate, almost upright, ontcurved in the interspaces; the 

 inner line well defined, the onter often diffuse and powdery. Trans- 

 verse posterior line geminate, very irregularly dentate, outwardly 

 angulate so as to from two prominent teeth on veins 3 and 4. Both 

 lines are distinct, but the inner tends to become diff'nse. There is no 

 obvious subterminal line, but there is a series of disconnected spots 

 and shades which may represent it. A series of black terminal lunules 

 is preceded by narrow white crescents. Fringes white, cat with 

 blackish. The median shade line is prominently marked on the costa, 

 but is obscured below that point by the black powderings. Orbicular 

 moderate, found, concolorous, black ringed and with a black center. 

 Reniform large, kidney-shaped, black-ringed, with a dnsky central 

 lunule. Secondaries in the male white, with blackish apical i^owder- 

 ings and a series of smoky terminal luunles; in the female deep smoky 

 brown with contrasting white fringes. Beneath, whitish in the male, 

 ai)i(;es of both wings smoky and both with an imperfect extra discal 

 dark line; in the female, primaries smoky, with contrasting white 

 fringes which are cut with brown; secondaries whitish with two 

 smoky transverse lines, a broad smoky margin, and a dark discal 

 lunule. 



Expanse, l.'JO to 1.55 inches (.')() to 35 mm.). 



Ifdhitat. — Canada to Texas, west to Wisconsin and Missouri; Canada 

 in 'luly; Massachusetts in June; Long Island, New York, in July. 



This is one of the most distinct of the North American noctuids and 

 certainly by all odds the most aberrant and striking of those here 

 treated. The three round brown patches on each wing give the insect 

 an absolutely unique appearance. The only observable variation is in 

 the amount of the black i)Owdering. 



