Utah forms are mainly reddish in color, with a gradual darken- 

 ing through olivaceous in California forms, to grays in Northern 

 California, Washington, and British Columbia, with all intergrades. 



This species is in a decidedly unstable evolutionary state, for 

 while the California and Washing-ton specimens have almost iden- 

 tical genetalia, the Utah specimen examined has a shorter, heavier 

 uncus, and lacks a spine on the penis. In all specimens the "teeth" 

 of the chitenous penis-plate arose from the end, although otherwise 

 variable. For the armature of the penis to vary as greatly as this 

 is decidedly surprising ; but there is not the slightest difference in 

 the appearance or structures of the adults. Unless a larval differ- 

 ence is found the Utah and California specimens must go together 

 as one unstable species. 



LAMPRA VARIATA ab. ORBIS, Grt. 



1876. Grt., Bull. Buff. See. Nat. Sci., Ill, 83, Agrotis. 

 1883. Grt., Proc. Am. Phil. See, p. l^^^cupicla-cupidissima? (Agrotis); 

 p. 155, distinct? 



1890. Sm., Bull. U. S. N. M., XXXVIII, 24=cupidissima (Rhijnchagrotis). 



1891. Grt., Can. Ent., XXIII, 150 (no genus). 



1893. Sm., Bull. U. S. N. M., XLIV, 5S,=variata (Rhynchagrotis). 



1895. Grt., Abb. Nat. A"er., Bremen, XIV, 58, var. variata (Agrotis) 



(Lampra). 

 1903. Hamp., Cat. Lep. Phal. B. M., IV, 637,=ab. 1 variata (Triphaena). 



AGROTIS ORBIS n. s. 



5. — Entirely concolorous drab or pale olive fuscous, shining; s.t. space 

 barely differentiated by its darker tint. All the lines faint, geminate as in 

 allied species. Distinguished by its reduced, round, complete orbicular 

 distinctly margined. Head and thorax concolorous. Hind wings concolor- 

 ous fuscous with interlined fringes; beneath with discontinued cpmmon line. 



Expanse, 38'""'. Sierra Nevada, Cal., No. 4580. Mr. Hy. Edwards. 



The species orbis, varix, laetula, cupidissimta, observabilis, variata, 

 seem to belong to the Eastern group represented by cupida, alternata, and 

 brunneipennis, having a flattened abdomen and unarmed tibiae. Clandes- 

 tina (Ogygia) has the fore tibia armed. 



Typk Locality: Sierra Nevada, California. 



Number and Sexes of Types: 1 $ . 



Types ix: British Museum. 



Specimens Examined: None answering the original description of 

 orbis — several transitorial forms of variata. 



Dr. Smith saw the type of orhis in the British Museum and 

 refers to it (Bull., U. S. N. M., XLIV, 53) as "simply variata 

 without the bluish scales." Sir George Hampson had the type 

 before him when he wrote the Cat. Lep. Phal. B. M., IV, 637, 

 designating orbis as ab. I of variata. 



It appears to be only an aberration of variata. Specimens be- 

 fore the author match the description with the exception of the 

 terminal area of the primaries. The type locality, "Sierra Nevada, 

 Cal., Mr. Hy. Edwards," makes it probable that the type came 

 from the vicinity of Truckee, Calif. A long series of specimens 

 is before the author from Truckee (Miss X. McGlashan), and none 

 match identically Grote's description of orhis. 



103 



