1892.] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 63 



was first described as inarnata, butis the species for which the genus Isa 

 was made, and should be known as Isa inornata. The larva of the second 

 is unknown. It is Heterogenea shurtleffii, of which ccesonia Grt. is a 

 variety. The larva of the third is also unknown. It is the textula of 

 Herrich-Schaffer (not of Packard), and was redescribed by Grote as 

 flexuosa. It should be known as Heterogenea textula. The larva of 

 the fourth species is the one described by Miss Morton. It has also been 

 described by myself, and should be known as Tortricidia pallida H.-S. 

 T. flavula is only a variety of it, and represents the form without marks 

 on the wings which Miss Morton describes. These species are correctly 

 arranged in Prof. Smith's new List. — H. G. Dyar. 



Drasteria erichto. — Has this noctuid been satisfactorily identified 

 since Guene^'s description of a single female in 1852 ? Some of our col- 

 lections, I am aware, contain specimens labeled erichto, that were deter- 

 mined by Mr. Grote. However, specimens of our eastern Drasteria 

 sent to Mr. Grote just before he left this country, and also those sent to 

 Prof. Smith since he became our recognized authority on the Noctuids, 

 have all been referred to erechtea. In 1873, Mr. Grote, in Bull. Buffalo 

 Soc. Nat. Sci. i, p. 155, admitted that he could not separate the two spe- 

 cies except in size, referring the specimens of the smaller Spring brood to 

 erichto. Of two specimens, a r^ and 9 . in the University collection de- 

 termined by Mr. Grote as erichto, the $ proves to be an erechtea. I pre- 

 sume other collections contain similar specimens. Recently Prof Smith 

 wrote me that he had not tried to identify erichto and had not the slightest 

 doubt that erichto is the same as erechtea. During the past year I have 

 bred what I believe to be erichto. I thought I was breeding erechtea, but 

 recent study and comparisons of my bred specimens and a large series 

 of Drasteria caught in trap-lanterns has shown that we have two species 

 of Drasteria in our eastern fauna, both about equally common I think, 

 and differing considerably structurally and rather closely grading into each 

 other in markings. The structural differences are marked and very con- 

 stant. The genitalia of the males and the seventh abdominal segment 

 of the females differ strikingly in size and form. I find that the species 

 are easily separable by these characters and typical strongly marked speci- 

 mens of either sex may be quite readily identified by the markings on the 

 front wings. I hope soon to be able to illustrate some of these differences, 

 but I desire to make further observations upon the range of variability of 

 erechtea. — M. V. Slingerland, Cornell Insectary, Ithaca, N. Y. 



A Plea for the Collector. — Prof. J. B. Smith's list of "The Lepid- 

 optera of Boreal America" came to hand a short time ago, and has 

 afforded me a great deal of pleasure and instruction. If I understand it 

 aright, this is the first complete list of the kind that has been published 

 in this country, and I am sure that Prof. Smith and the other learned gen- 

 tlemen who were associated with him in getting it up have given students 

 of this department of Entomology a work that may be relied upon as 



