[55] ON LYCJENA NEGLECTA. 167 



VII. ON LYCMA NEGLECTA EDW. 



[From the Canadian Entomologist, for May 1, 1875.] 



In the very interesting paper of Mr. W. H. Edwards, pub- 

 lished in the May number of the Canadian Entomologist, in 

 which another valuable addition is made to the knowledge of 

 our Lepidoptera, by the identity therein shown of the Lycsenas 

 pseudargiolus and molacea autumnal and vernal forms of 

 the same species it is suggested that neglecta and Lucia may 

 prove to bear the same relationship to one another. The pos- 

 sibility of this is inferred by Mr. Edwards from observations 

 made by him, that Lucia is an early spring form (April and 

 May in New York), and neglecta a later one, " occurring at 

 intervals from June till September." 



I cannot believe that neglecta and Lucia will ever be united 

 as seasonal varieties of the same species. Several years of 

 diligent collecting by Mr. von Meske and myself in this por- 

 tion of the State, embracing a range of ten miles of territory, 

 have failed to reveal a single example of Lucia, nor has it 

 come under our observation in any of the collections made by 

 others in this part of the State. We might, therefore, be 

 almost justified in asserting that it does not occur here. We 

 have it from Long Island collected by Mr. Graef and Mr. 

 Tepper. 



On the other hand, in that famous collecting ground, Center, 

 on the " pine-barrens," midway between Albany and Schenec- 

 tady, upon the line of the N. Y. Central and Hudson River R. 

 R., than which, we believe, the northern United States can pro- 

 duce no superior locality for the Lepidoptera, neglecta usually 

 swarms at its proper season. There have been times and sea- 

 sons when, as we have traversed the roadways leading over 

 the yellow sands of Center and among its pines, that the air 

 about us has seemed blue from the myriads of neglecta 

 driven up from the damp sands by our approach. Here, cer- 

 tainly, one might confidently look for Lucia, were it but a 

 varietal form. 



