126 
MEMOIRS OF THE :N'ATIOyAL ACADEMY OF SCIEITCES. 
of the fourth line). This mark is bent inward in the middle, and thus forms a rounded loop 
(sometimes an angle), which is directed outward, behind the costal edge, and becomes indistinct 
between the fourth and fifth branches of the subcostal vein. 
That this species (Fitch’s vau) is Walker’s I. apieali.s is not to be doubted, since I now have 
an excellent colored drawing of Walker’s type in the British ^[useiim which leaves no doubt as 
to its specilic relations, having the markings and hue of normal van from Maine. His type was 
collected by Dr. Barnston. 
This species is very variable, and what, with my ])resent material, seem to constitute its 
varieties 1 will endeavor to point out, premising that 1113 ' views are subject to future coi'rectioii 
after we have much fuller collections of the moths and after we know more of their transformations. 
^Meanwhile it is to be hopeil that there will not be a further multiplication of nominal species in a 
genus already so burdened with synonyms. 
Walker’s Ichthijnm (tpicaUs^ is the same as J. tau^ as 1 judge from an excellent colored figure 
(IT. VII, tig, -I) made for me by Mr. 11. Knight from Walker's tj'pe, but it is impossible to determine 
from his brief description, as he does not say^ whether iXiitalhida maviikique costali is oblique or not. 
Mr. Dyar has also come to the same conclusion from a pen-and-ink sketch of the tyq)e received 
from Mr. Butler, In Barnston’s MS. description, quoted by Walker, the larva is described as 
“brown, thick, with 10 feet, and with abandon part of the back;” “feeds on the poplar leaf’ This 
description will apply" better to van than to an,y other species known to me, as I have reared vau 
from the poplar, and the larva is brown, short, though not with “ a band on part of the back.” 
After examination of my type of J. indentata in the Harris collection, I find it agrees with 
' Fitch’s description of van, 
I regard L ornnta G. & R. as only a climatic variety of Fitch’s vau, and a specimen of J. 
ornatet G. & R., so labeled by Mr, Edwards, is also labeled “ Incarcerafa Boisd. and on comparing 
Boisduval’s description of incarcerata with specimens of ornaia from Calilornia, Truckee Valley, 
Reno, Kev., and Colorado, I do not see any" specific differences, 
/. mearcerata {I, ornaia)^ PI. II, figs. 4-7 : While these represent small individuals, many' are 
larger, and it is a larger and generally paler form than J. apicalh (raw) of the Eastern States, and 
1 think it is simply' a climatic variety' of the Eastern form. One and a 9 in the Edwards- 
collection are as dark as the ty'pical Eastern ruu, and the pale form may be a seasonal variety. 
Indeed, Mr. Beutenmuller informs me that in J. apieaUs [van), which he has reared, this pale form 
is the summer brood, the dark individuals belonging to the winter brood. 
One 9 from Truckee and a small $ from Sierra Xevada, California, are very pale (expanse of 
wings, 33 mm.). Also from Alameda County, Cal. (U. S. Xat. Mas.). 
A large, well-preserved, fresh specimen from Lincoln, Xebr. (IJ. S. Xat. ^lus.), collected May 21 
by Prof. L. Bruner, is unusually^ pale, having a faded-out look, and is evidently' a form {astoriw 
Edw.) of var. mearcerata (ornata), being like one of that variety' (a 9 ) from Colorado, but difiering 
in having no reddish brown shade on it. (See PI. VII, fig. 3.) This form, subvar. astorkr, has 
also been reared by Mr. Dymr from eggs sent him from Miles City, ^lont., and whose larval stages 
1 have described bey'ond, my^ pupm not having disclosed any' moths. Although the rainfall at 
Astoria, Oreg., is very heavy' (80 inches annually') and the climate humid, yet the Astoria specimen 
ill the Edwards collection is no darker than those from Montana and from Kansas. This is 
somewhat unexpected and remains to be explained, unless it be discovered that there is a dark 
winter brood. 
The young larva was found feeding on the aspen at Brunswick, Me., and molted August 
10 - 12 , when it became 10 mm. in length. 
Young larva m third stage, — Length, 10. mm. Head black. The body is on the sides and at 
the end livid dark brown. The warts and hunqis on the first thoracic and first and eighth 
^ Walker (Cat, Lei>. Hct. British Mnseum, v, 1058) thus refers to a moth which he describes as Ichihiiura aincaZic: 
Mas. Ciuerea; caput nigro-fuscum; frous et palpi suhtus albida; auteiuue caua; ramis cinereis; thorax vitta 
dorsali nigro-fusca; ahe antiem fusco-ciuereie, liiiea undulosa albida maculacpie eostali rufo-fusca; postic.aj cinerem; 
siibtus albidiE fascia gracili discali undulosa fuscesceute. 
Larva brown, thick, with 16 fefet, and with a baud on part of the back; feeds ou the poplar leaf, which it 
draws together with silk. Cocoou slight and white. The moth appears in June.” — Barnston MSS. 
a, h, — St. Martin’s Falls, Albany Eiver, Hudson Bay'. Presented by Dr. Barnston. 
