298 LEPIDOPTERA OF NORTH AMERICA. 



nearly half the length of the second. Antenna? closely pectinated; 

 branches long or of moderate length in the male, very short in the 

 female. Abdomen not extending as far as the hind wings. Legs 

 slender ; hind tibiae with four spurs. Wings broad, not long, 

 generally black with semi-hyaline white spots. 

 Spurs short, near together, 



1. M.? cephise Cram. Pap. Exot. IV, 182, pi. 381, f. E. Hiibner, Samml. 



Exot. Schmett. II, Lep. II, Phal. II, Ver. vii. Hyp. A. Spiling. 17, 

 f. 1—4. 



Deep black. Head, prothorax, sides of the thorax in front and 

 breast clothed with luteous hairs. Palpi, legs and hind borders of 

 the abdominal segments whitish beneath. Wings fringed with 

 white, and with an elliptical white spot on each tip ; veins some- 

 what cinereous. Length of the body 5 lines ; of the wings 18 lines. 



Mexico, West Indies, Central America. 



Walker. 



2. M, Inconstans Geyer. Samml. Exot. Schmett. V, 17, .431, f. 861-2. 



Male. Black. Thorax with luteous spots. Wings bluish-black, 

 at the base beneath luteous or red. Fore wings with white borders. 



Mexico. 



Walker. 



Fam. 



VIRBIA Walker. 



Allied to the Noctuidae. Body rather short, moderately stout, 

 nearly linear and cylindrical. Palpi stout, straight, porrect, a 

 little shorter than the head ; third joint very small. Antennae 

 simple in both sexes. Abdomen not extending beyond the hind 

 wings. Legs rather stout; hind tibiae with two very minute apical 

 spurs. Wings rather short and broad. Fore wings distinctly an- 

 gular ; third superior vein trifurcate ; first and second inferior veins 

 near together at the base. 



