1874.] 215 [Morrison. 



markings, the villosity of the palpi and front, the rounded collar, the 

 almost total absence of the usual prothoracic tuft, the presence of a 

 thick spreading metathoracic tuft, the sharp apices of the pterygodes 

 (a very unusual character in the higher N octuidas) , the low tuft on 

 the first segment of the abdomen, and the single pencil-like dorsal 

 tuft on its middle ; they only differ in the presence of a short, ex- 

 truded ovipositor in the female of meditata. Mamestra and Dianilice- 

 cia differ in the long, pointed abdomen and extruded ovipositor of the 

 latter ; these characters have been considered decisive by European 

 entomologists, but the discovery of modesta, meditata, teligera, and 

 other species, with stout abdomens and short ovipositors, seem to 

 destroy their validity, and the fact that meditata and innexa are so 

 near each other, and yet technically separated by the difference in 

 the length of the ovipositor, also tends to show that this character is 

 at most only of subgeneric value. 



Mamestra niveiguitata Grote, belongs undoubtedly to the section 

 DiantJicecia ; the abdomen of the female being pointed, and furnished 

 with a long projecting ovipositor. 



5. Mamestra teligera nov. sp. 



Expanse 30 mm. Length of body 14 mm. 



Eyes hairy. The collar and thorax gray, the former with a very 

 distinct, black, central line, the latter having a low metathoracic tuft, 

 and with the apices of the pterygodes sharp and well defined. The 

 abdomen of the female with a short, projecting ovipositor and dorsal 

 tufts. The ground color of the anterior wings gray; a very distinct 

 basal dash, above which the basal space is whitish; the half-line is 

 indistinct ; the median lines are distinct and geminate, accompanied 

 by pale shades; the interior line lobed between the nervures; to 

 the largest lobe the conspicuous, black-edged claviform spot is at- 

 tached, and extends nearly to the exterior line; the latter is shaped 

 as usual, inwardly dentate between the nervules; the ordinary spots 

 are of the normal form, filled with light gray, which contrasts with 

 the ground color; the subterminal line whitish, interrupted, forming 

 an irregular white spot at the internal angle, and preceded by faint, 

 black, cuneiform markings. Posterior wings whitish at the base, with 

 a discal dot, a faint median line and a broad diffuse terminal border. 

 Beneath the anterior wings are dark gray, the posterior whitish, both 

 with discal dots and a common black median line. 



Hab. Waco, Texas. 



Allied to Dianthoecia capsularis, which we have not identified, but 



