Descriptions of South African Micro-Lepidoptera, 313 



extremity. Abdomen rather slender. Legs rather Icing, slender, 

 middle tibiae with two short apical spurs, posterior tibiae thinly haired 

 above, with median and apical pairs of short spurs. Forewings elon- 

 gate, costa slightly arched, apex obtuse, dorsum and termen nearly 

 evenly curved but tornus slightly marked, dorsal margin strongly 

 ciliated like termen to base, with strong membranous prominence at 

 base (jugum) ; ueuration as described. Hindwings somewhat under 

 1, elongate-trapezoidal-ovate (more parallel-sided than forewings), 

 cilia -3- ; ueuration as described. 



I substitute the above amended description for that previously 

 published. I have already stated elsewhere (' Exotic Microlepidoptera,' 

 vol. 2, p. 2-2!)) that Mr. R. J. Tillyard, in New South Wales, being 

 interested by my notice of this family, was at pains to obtain some 

 material from the South African Museum for dissection, and I am 

 indebted to him for the communication of the following information, 

 viz. : (1) that there were two species probably confused under my 

 description of P. petrosema ; I had myself suspected this, and have 

 now received further material representing four species in all; 

 (2) that mandibles were present in both species, minute and difficult 

 of detection in jietrosema proper, but in the other species as large as 

 in Micropteryx- and very similar; and (3) that I had overlooked the 

 presence of maxillary palpi concealed in the hairs of labial palpi, 

 which I find to be correct. With the aid of the fresh material I have 

 made other corrections as above. The distinctness and interest of the 

 family are thus in fact augmented, and it is eminently worthy of the 

 attention of local collectors. 



The four following forms are similar in general appearance, but are 

 abundantly distinct by the geuitalia ; these are complex, and I am 

 indebted to Mr. Barnard, of the South African Museum, for careful 

 drawings of them. Finding their homologies difficult of compre- 

 hension, I submitted the drawings to Mr. F. N". Pierce, well known as 

 a specialist in these organs, calling his attention to their analogy with 

 the structures of Hepialus hectus, and am much indebted to him for 

 explaining to me their correct nature, and have accepted his views. 

 lu brief there are three pairs of appendages, viz. (1) an upper pair, 

 the uucus ; (2) a middle pair, the gnathos ; (3) a lower pair, the 

 valvae. These can be readily recognised and their differences are 

 sufficient for the diagnosis of the species, but they by no means 

 exhaust the complexities of the structure, which would require a 

 series of figures. The uncus and guathos are appendages of the 

 10th segment and enclose the anus above and below respectively ; 

 the valvae are appendages of the 9th segment. 



