254 NOCTURNAL LEPIDOPTERA FOUND IN CANADA. 



Fore wings with the lines much like those of H. lunata, to which 

 this species is very nearly allied, but may be distinguished by the 

 two distinct exterior, black undulating lines ; three large blackish 

 costal patches ; first and second, diffuse ; third, more defined, and 

 with some pale dots in front ; a large diffuse blackish spot by the 

 middle of the exterior margin ; marginal streaks with whitish tips. 

 Hind wings with some paler lines. Var. B. — Darker. Hind wings 

 with the pale lines hardly apparent. Var. C. — Fore wings much 

 paler, with the exception of the costal patches, and two irregular and 

 incomplete blackish bands. Length of the body, &\-l\ lines j of the 

 wings, 18-20 lines. Hab. United States." 



The foregoing description, by Mr. Walker, is hardly sufficiently 

 definite to enable one to determine the species with certainty. I have 

 in my possession two (/anadian specimens, which agree pretty well 

 with his description of H. involuta, but from a comparison of sixteen 

 specimens from the United States and different parts of Canada, I am 

 led to think that they are merely varieties of H. lunata ; the only 

 palpable differences being that in one the thorax is entirely brown, 

 and in both the blue-black subterminal band is wanting on the pos- 

 terior wings, though pretty well marked on the anterior. 



5. H. MiNEREA, Guen. Noct. iii. 15, pi. 18. Walk. G. B. M. 

 Noct. xiii. 1054. 



Ferruginous wood-colour, sometimes ochraceous, and sometimes 

 with a purplish tinge. Thorax, brown, with a black line in front, and 

 a black and cinereous band posteriorly. Anterior wings with the base 

 dark-brown, crossed by some white lines, as far as the extra-basal 

 line ; then a pale transverse band, composed of cinereous, glaucous, 

 and sometimes ochraceous scales ; the remainder of the median space 

 is almost entirely of the dark ground colour of the wing, which 

 varies from ochraceous to ferruginous-wood colour, and sometimes 

 deep purplish-brown. Reniform spot tolerably distinct, blackish- 

 brown ; orbicular represented by a black dot opposite the reniform. 

 Subterminal line, black, well-defined, parallel to the elbowed for half 

 its length posteriorly, then divergent towards the apex, forming, by 

 means of the black shade in the middle of the exterior margin, two 

 large arcs, which enclose white glaucous-flecked spaces. A series of 

 black marginal streaks, and a brownish-black apical spot. 



Posterior wings, with the basal portion pale, speckled with black 

 and glaucous scales ; a black discal dot; two fine black undulating 



