90 
one named by him in the same report the Western Striped Cut-worm, 
hut as he there tells us, may be distinguished from the other by three 
permanent differences: “1st. It never attains quite so large a size; 
2d. It is generally darker and more dingy, and the longitudinal lines 
are consequently less distinct; 3d. It is generally of a more decided 
dull pale buff color on the back.” 
This Cut-worm is when full grown about an inch long and marked 
similarly to the Western Striped Cut-worm. They remain in the larva 
state longer than some other species as they do not change to chrysalids 
till about the first of July. The chrysalis is of the usual shape but 
differs in color from most of the other species, being honey-yellow 
shaded with brown. The eyes are dark brown and there are two spots 
of the same color on the wing sheaths just above the antennae. 
The moths that come out about the first of September are smaller 
than the Master Dart moths, and may also be identified by the follow¬ 
ing points: 1st. The hind wings of the Gothic Dart are pearly white 
with a narrow dark outer birder, while the hind wings of the Master 
Dart are quite dark; 2d. The ground color of the front wings of the 
Master Dart has a lilac tinge which the front wings of the Gothic 
Dart lack, its place being supplied with a blackish shade; 3d. The 
outer third of the front wings of the Master Dart are uniform dark 
ash-gray, the same space in the Gothic Dart contains a lighter line 
running from the tip to the hind angle, while the border outside of 
this is black. 
THE MASTER DART —(Agrotis herilis —Grote.) 
The larva is the Western Striped Cut-worm. This worm is found 
in the same places as other Cut-worms and at the same time, but it 
remains in the ground as a chrysalis longer than the most of them 
before reaching the moth state, coming out in August and Septem¬ 
ber. It was reared and described by Prof. Riley, and as it bears a 
close resemblance to the Striped Cut-worm, he named it the Western 
Striped Cut-worm, not because of its being found only in the West, 
but to designate it from the one named by Dr. Fitch the Striped 
Cut-worm, for in fact it is widely distributed over most of the United 
States. 
The worm is about an inch and a quarter long, the ground color of 
a dirty w T hite or ash-gray, inclining to buff on the back, having three 
broad~ dark lines and two narrow light ones along the sides, and a 
light one, edged on each side with dark, along the middle of the back. 
The moth has dark lilac gray fore wings marked chiefly with buff and 
black. The reniform or kidney-shaped spot is buff, as well as a line 
that extends from the shoulder through the middle of the w T ing to be¬ 
low the reniform, where it turns towards the hind angle. A short 
spear of the buff runs to near the top of the orbicular spot. Each 
side of the reniform spot are black patches. 
A. S. Van Winkle, of Trenton, Clinton County, writes me that this 
is one of the corn Cut-worms of that place. I have observed that the 
moths were quite numerous here in Carbondale the last of August 
