49 
slightly waving or somewhat crenate and not very distinct, the outer 
space of two shades, the inner portion darkest and brownish ash 
color, but somewhat paler than the middle area, its outer margin tol¬ 
erably well defined, marginal portion paler ash color; fringe concolor- 
ous, with brown dots at the tips of the veins; metallic spot single, 
silvery, narrow and shaped like an italic Y, that is, an oval dot with 
the inner end prolonged in two arms to the nerve. Posterior wings 
dark fuscus, with a broad, pale ochreous, curved band across the mid¬ 
dle and a pale orbicular spot on inner portion near the band; fringe 
pale, with brown points. Underside bronze, somewhat fuscous, with 
a distinct brownish band across both wings. Head very small; it and 
the thorax gray. 
Expanse, 1.40-1.50 inches. 
I have two specimens that appear to belong to precationis , with the 
silvery spot precisely as in simplex. 
Pl. oxygeamma, Guen. 
Front wings subdendate, large at the extremity, with a very prom¬ 
inent anal tooth preceded by a distinct sinus; of an ashen gray, satin 
color, shaded with roseate, and clouded with darker gray, with the 
lines scarcely visible; the two median waved, roseate, with dark bor¬ 
dering; the subterminal blackish, slender and dentate, with the teeth 
sharp and following one another in a line parallel to the border, upon 
which, in a certain light, can be seen the little black chevrons, the 
same as those on the subterminal. The “ sign ” [usually metallic] is 
here non-metalic, long, clear, and slenderly bordered by yellow. The 
reniform spot, straight, small and concolorous but visible. Posterior 
wings of a blackish-gray, paler at the base. Tufts of the abdomen 
large, especially that on the first segment; and extremity of the male 
garnished with blackish, silky hairs; there are also two lateral tufts of 
the same color which arise from the fifth segment and connect with 
the anal tuft. 
The antennae are larger than those of any other Piusia. (Guenee.) 
I have before me a female of what appears to be this species. The 
general color of the front wings is a dark ashen gray, with brownish 
markings in the middle space; the apical angle is slightly rounded; 
the inner'transverse line not distinguishable; nor is the outer one well 
marked; the sign , or metallic mark, is narrow, sharp pointed toward 
the outer margin, with the sides of the inner portion parallel, the outer 
lines of it are metallic, the inside or space within yellow, but not 
metallic; the anal tooth is well defined. It expands 1.40 inches. 
Pl. putxami, Grote. 
This pretty species is easily distinguished by the large golden spaces 
sprinkled over with orange, at the base and tip of the front wings; 
one of these is an elongate narrow spot on the costal margin at the 
immediate base; another large trapezoidal spot extending backward 
from the metallic spot to the inner margin; another at the apex, only 
partially covered with orange. The metallic spot is large, silvery, with 
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