AMERICAN MOTHS OF THE SUBFAMILY PHYCITINAE 



215 



hardly distinguishable. Hind wing white, translucent, 

 extreme apex and terminal margin faintly smoky. 

 Male genitalia with apical process of gnathos mod- 

 erately large (proportionally about twice the size of 

 that organ in the foregoing species group). Female 

 genitalia with spines of signum bluntly and broadly 

 rounded. Veins 2 and 3 and 4 and 5 of forewing stalked 

 for about one-third their lengths (in some specimens 2-3 

 stalked for nearly one-half) . Discocellular vein of hind 

 wing very slightly curved. Alar expanse, 15-18 mm. 



Type locality: Canete Valley, Peru (type in 

 USNM). 



Food plant: Cotton (larvae feeding in bolls). 



Distribution: PERtJ: Canete Valley (Mar.), Lima 

 (Sept.). 



Genus Mescinia, Species 430 and 431: M. discella 

 and M. indecora 



[Alar expanse over 20 mm.l 



430. Mescinia discella Hampson 



Figures 475, 967 



Mescinia discella Hampson, in Ragonot, Monograph, pt. 2, p. 84, 

 1901. 



Forewing a pale purplish fuscous on lower half, 

 yellowish (bronzy) above, shading to white on outer 

 half of subcostal area; costal edge yellowish brown 

 with some blackish scales towards base; a bright 

 orange-yellow patch towards end of cell ; along median 

 fold a fine line of blackish scales; a similar blackish line 

 along the fold replacing vein Ic; from end of cell to sub- 

 terminal line blackish dashes on veins 2 and 3, 4 and 5 

 and 6, more or less fusing to form a large, conspicuous, 

 dark blotch; discal spots fused into a blackish line along 

 discocellular vein; a row of faint black dots along 

 termen; antemedial line very faint, narrow, white, out- 

 wardly angled at lower margin of cell and inwardly 

 angled at vein lb; subterminal line sharply angled 

 inward at vein 6, thence curved outward around the 

 blackish blotch, disappearing near costa and inner 

 margin. Hind wing whitish, semihyaline; the veins 

 and terminal margins faintly and finely outlined with 

 purphsh ocherous; veins 7 and 8 anastomosed for little 

 more than half the length of vein 7; discocellular vein 

 decidedly curved. Alar expanse, 20-21 mm. 



Male genitalia with bifid apical process of gnathos 

 elongate, rather large; anellus with enlarged base and 

 curved lateral arms; penis with a strong cluster of 

 sclerotized folds. Female genitalia with signum re- 

 placed by a concentration of scobinations; ductus 

 bursae weakly sclerotized towards genital opening; 

 ductus seminalis from bursa near its jimction with 

 ductus bursae. 



Type locality : Jalapa, Mexico (type in USNM) . 



Food plant: Unknown. 



Distribution: M:6xico: Jalapa, Orizaba. Guate- 

 mala: Volcdn Santa Marfa (Nov.). 



The species is easily recognized by its bronzy color 

 and the conspicuous blackish markings beyond the cell. 



431. Mescinia indecora Dyar 



Figures 476, 968 

 Mescinia indecora Dyar, Ins. Insc. Menstr., vol. 8, p. 35, 1920. 



Forewing grayish fuscous with a faint purplish tint; 

 the median area between faint, dark, antemedian and 

 subterminal lines weakly shaded with blackish fuscous; 

 costal area narrowly sordid whitish; discal dots blackish. 

 Hind wings semihyaline, the veins faintly outlined in 

 ocherous fuscous, a similar narrow shade along termen; 

 veins 7 and 8 anastomosed for little more than half the 

 length of vein 7; discocellular vein curved. Alar 

 expanse, 22-23 mm. 



Male genitalia with uncus broadly triangulate, 

 slightly tapering and with apex broadly rounded ; apical 

 process of gnathos completely fused, large, roughly 

 triangular and with angles more or less rounded; anellus 

 with lateral arms broad and narrowly divided; vin- 

 culum stout and about as long as broad. Female 

 genitalia of type damaged, so that little remains of 

 bursa except the signum, which is a rather large, 

 flattened, plateUke thorn. 



Type locality : Zacualpdn, Mexico (type in USNM) . 



Food plant: Unknown. 



Distribution: Mexico: Zacualpdn (July), Techua- 

 cdn (July). 



The species fits badly in Mescinia on genitalic char- 

 acters. Uncus, anellus, gnathos, the short vinculum, 

 and the female signum are unlike any of these structures 

 in the other species of the genus and suggest a separate 

 generic placement, which may be necessary when more 

 material can be studied and something is known of the 

 earlier stages and biology. At present indecora is 

 represented by only two specimens in the National 

 Museum. 



Genus 122: Nonia 



[Venational division B. Forewing with 9 veins: 10 from the 

 cell, 8 and 9 united, 4 and 5 stalked, 2 and 3 united. Male 

 genitalia with transtilla incomplete.] 



122. Genus Nonia Ragonot 



Nonia Ragonot, Monograph, pt. 2, p. xiii, 1901. — -Hampson, in 



Ragonot, Monograph, pt. 2, p. 260, 1901. (Type of genus: 



Homoeosoma exiguella Ragonot.) 

 Hypermescinia Dyar, Proc. Ent. Soc. Washington, vol. 47, p. 



341, 1914. (Type of genus: Hypermescinia lambella Dyar. 



New synonymy.) 



Tongue well developed. Antenna pubescent; shaft 

 simple in both sexes. Labial palpus obliquely up- 

 turned. Maxillary palpus filiform. Forewing smooth ; 

 9 veins; veins 2 and 3 united from very near angle of 

 cell; 4 and 5 stalked; 8 and 9 united; 10 from the cell, 

 separate from 8-9; male with fringe of hair or scales 

 from underside of costa towards base, but without 

 costal fold. Hind wing with vein 2 from well before 

 lower angle of cell; 3 and 5 from angle and closely ap- 

 proximate at base; 6 from upper angle of cell; 7 and 8 

 completely fused beyond cell; discocellular vein curved; 

 cell one-third of wing length. Abdomen of male with 



