2^0.3.] GROTE ON MOTHS OF MAINE. 587 



wliicL Mr. Butler could, accept, when be considered tlie Spliinges from 

 all the continents. 



Of the few changes made in my "New Check List," I find space to 

 notice my reference of Crocota to the Arctiidw^ based on the presence 

 of ocelli and the structure of the larva described by Mr, Saunders. 

 Again, Dr. Bailey has drawn attention to the characters of Cossus 

 centrensis ; in doing so the structural differences offered by rohinice 

 become apparent, and justify a diiferent name for that species and 

 allies. In the SpliingidcG I have taken Dr. Boisduval's term for our 

 genus, of which gaurm is the type, Mr. Butler having shown that 

 Pr-oserpimis is untenable. If we divide Splunx, as now restricted, we 

 may use Hiibner's terms Letliia and Agrius, for which, in my list of 

 1873, I have proposed types inchided by Hiibner. But it seems to me 

 diiScult to find sufficiently strong characters, and I have left the genus 

 nndivided, with ligustri as type. The European convolvuU, on the other 

 hand, I would refer to Phlegethontius. The changes in the JS'Octuidce 

 have almost all been made originally in other pajjers. I have reduced 

 the number of species and genera as much as possible. Both tlie 

 moth of Platycerura and the larva, observed by Mr. Thaxter, offer 

 characters which appear to me to warrant its lo('ation with the Bomhy- 

 coid Noctuidcv, such as Charadra (an American genus distinct from the 

 European TricJiosea ludijica, and Aiidela, and not with the is^otodont- 

 ians. On the other hand, Edema seems to me to be decidedly a Bom- 

 bycid, although it has been suggested that it belongs to the Noctuidcc, 

 by European authorities. Among the curious resemblances between 

 the lower Zygccnidm and the ArctiidcG is the similarity between Ctemi- 

 clia and Uuchcvtes. The stone-gray or mouse-color of the wings of the 

 darker Uuchcctes forms, such as egle, recalls Ctemtcha, and the red 

 stripes of Spraguei and the yellow of abdominalis, though not similarly 

 placed, remind one of the ornamentation of certain forms of Clcnucha. 

 It is owing to a coincidence of outline and color that I believe I made 

 an error in describing ahdominalis as a Zygienid, a good many years 

 ago. 



The study of the Woctuidcc gives important hints as to the derivation 

 of species, to which I have called attention by the method of varia- 

 tion between " representative" species, and the fact that tlie larval stage 

 affords evidence here and there of independent modification. The lar- 

 vre of psi^ trldcns, and occidcnfaUs all diller, while the moths are much 

 alike and, perhaps, cannot bese])arated always with certainty ; yet the 

 American form differs ai)parently a little more than do the two Euro- 

 pean ones, occupying the same territory, from each other. All cases of 

 images differing but slightly must be held as showing a closer relation- 

 ship, a nearer epoch of disintegration in time, than is exi)ress(Hl by ge- 

 neric association. AVe have no name for such gronjis of individuals, in- 

 termediate between species and varieties, not forming genera, as we now 

 understand genera to depend on similarity of structure alone. As 



