Article XVIII.-ON NORTH AMERICAN MOTHS, WITH
THE DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES OF TRI-
PROCRIS.

By WILLIAM BEUTENMÜLLER.

In the current volume of the Museum Bulletin, pages 87-98, I published some notes on North American Ægeriidæ in advance of a contemplated monograph of the family. Since then my studies have been continued, and the following notes are presented, together with a few notes on Bombyces.

Melittia hampsoni Beuten.

Melittia grandis HAMPSON, Moths of India, Vol. I, 1892, p. 203.

The name Melittia grandis given to an Indian species by Mr. Hampson is preoccupied by a North American species (M. grandis Strecker), and therefore must be changed. I propose for it M. hampsoni.

Trochilium pacificum Hy. Edwards.

Trochilium pacificum Hy. EDWARDS, Papilio, Vol. I, 1881, p. 180.
Trochilium californicum NEUMOEGEN, Ent. News, Vol. II, 1891, p. 108.

The description of Trochilium californicum exactly agrees with the types of Trochilium pacificum, and I propose to unite it with the latter species. Two type males from Santa Barbara, Cal., and two type females, one from San Bernardino, Cal., and the other marked "Cal.," are in the Hy. Edwards Collection. Expanse of males, 25-29 mm.; of females, 37-41 mm.

Trochilium tibiale Harris.

Trochilium tibiale HARRIS, Am. Journ. Sc. and Arts, Vol. XXXVI, 1839, p. 309; MORRIS, Synop. Lepid. N. Am. 1862, p. 138 (quotes Harris); Hy. EDWARDS, Papilio, Vol. II, 1882, p. 53; PACKARD, Ins. Inj. For. and Sh. Trees, p. 123 (quotes Harris).

Trochilium minimum NEUMOEGEN, Ent. News, Vol. II, 1891, p. 108.

Two examples of this species are in the Edwards Collection, one from Montreal, Canada, and the other from Vancouver Island.

It was originally described from New Hampshire, and was bred from the stems of Populus by Harris. In the collection of Mr. Dyar is an example from Yosemite, Cal., and one in Mr. Hudson's collection from Plattsburgh, N. Y. The description of Trochilium minimum from Colorado tallies with the examples of T. tibiale in the Edwards Collection which, as far as I am aware, were compared with Harris's type in the Boston Society of Natural History.

Sciapteron palmii (Hy. Edwards).

Fatua palmii HY. EDWARDS, Can. Ent. Vol. XIX, 1887, p. 145.

This species, it appears to me, would be better placed in the genus Sciapteron. It was described as a Fatua, which was united by me with the genus Tarsa' of Walker. The species is very closely allied to Sciapteron simulans (Grote), and of both only the females are known, which differ generically from Tarsa (9) by having the antennæ of equal width throughout, while those of Tarsa are very narrow at the base for some distance then gradually thickening towards the apex, which is pointed at the extreme tip. It is not unlikely that a new genus will have to be erected for S. palmii and S. simulans, when the males are known.

Sannina opalescens (Hy. Edw.).

Egeria opalescens HY. EDWARDS, Papilio, Vol. I, 1881, p. 199.
Sannina pacifica RILEY, Insect Life, Vol. III, 1891, p. 292.

The types of Sannina pacifica were examined by me, and I find that the male of this species was previously described as Ægeria

1 Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., Vol. V, 1893, p. 22.

opalescens. The wings of the male are transparent, with blueblack borders and a transverse discal bar on the fore wings. The joints of the hind legs are tufted with white. The antennæ are minutely pectinated. The fore wings of the female are wholly blue or greenish black, as is also the body and legs; the hind wings are transparent, with blue-black border. The body of both sexes is blue black, and the venation is the same as in Sannina exitiosa.

Habitat: Colorado, Nevada and California.

Albuna pyramidalis (Walker).

Egeria pyramidalis WALKER, Cat. Het. Br. Mus. pt. viii, 1856, p. 40.
Albuna vitrina NEUMOEGEN, Ent. News, Vol. II, 1891, p. 109.

This species is subject to considerable variation, and I have no doubt that the insect described as Albuna vitrina, from Fort Calgary, N. W. Territory, is merely one of the many varieties.

Ægeria decipiens Hy. Edw.

Egeria decipiens HY. EDWARDS, Papilio, Vol. I, 1881, p. 197.
Ageria imperfecta HY. EDWARDS, Papilio, Vol. I, 1881, p. 198.

The types of E. decipiens and E. imperfecta, which are before me, are both one and the same species, there being no sufficient characters to warrant their separation as distinct species.

Triprocris lustrans, sp. nov.

Head, body, antennæ and all the wings black with a strong metallic steelblue reflection. Underside of wings same as above. Expanse, 31 mm. Length of body, 8 mm. One male, from Colorado, Coll. Hy. Edwards, Am. Mus. Nat. Hist.

In color this species resembles T. smithsonianus, but is more metallic, and almost twice the size. At first sight it resembles a Harrisina, but the wings are considerably broader than in this genus.

Pareuchætes insula (Walker).

Halisidota insula WALKER, Cat. Het. Br. Mus. pt. iii, 1855, p. 734. Pareuchetes cadaverosa GROTE, Proc. Ent. Soc. Phil. Vol. V, 1865, p. 245.

The type of H. insula Walker in the British Museum was examined by the late Hy. Edwards, and his unpublished note on the species says, " Euchates insula E. cadaverosa Grote."

Habitat: Cuba, Florida, Mexico, and southward.

Lycomorpha centralis Walker.

Lycomorpha centralis WALKER, Cat. Het. Brit. Mus. pt. ii, 1854, p. 288.
Lycomorpha notha HY. EDWARDS, Ent. Amer. Vol. I, 1885, p. 128.

The late Hy. Edwards compared his types of L. notha with that of L. centralis of Walker in the British Museum, and states in an unpublished note that both are one and the same species.

Habitat: Mexico.