89 



the third joint slender and acute; they projecl as Car beyond the front as in 

 Petrophora. Fore wings much as in Petrophora, the convexity of the costa 

 the same, and the apex subacute. The hind wings are of the same shape as 

 in Petrophora. The venation differs decidedly, the first three subcostal 

 venules being much shorter than in any other genus of the subfamily except 

 Hydriomena; the origins of these venules are equidistant, the origin of the 

 second subcostal being situated half-way between the end of the outer sub- 

 costal cell and the origin of the third venule. There are two subcostal cells, 

 the inner one usually much smaller than the outer. The origin of the first 

 median venule is rather remote from the second, much as in Lobophora. 

 Hind wings as in Petrophora. Hind legs with the tarsi as long as the tibiae; 

 the first joint of the tarsus nearly as thick as the tibiae. Coloration like that 

 of Petrophora, but with a narrow median band on the fore wings. 



This genus chiefly differs from Petrophora in the venation, and the fuller 

 front of the head, and the coloration. The venation is much as in Hydriomena, 

 and is so different from Petrophora as to forbid uniting it with that genus. 



Larva. — "Quite short and slender, a little swollen anteriorly, with very 

 distinct lines; head large, subglobular, bordered with the prothoracic shield; 

 anal points very distinct; living on conifers. Pupa green; in cocoons of silk, 

 among leaves." — (Guene'e.) 



Thera contractata Packard. Plate 8, fig. 28. 



Cidaria (Thera) contractu, Pack., Fifth Rep. Peab. Acad. So., 56, 1871. 



3 <?. — Palpi, head, and thorax, as well as wings, pale cinereous; base 

 of fore wing with scattered black scales, and two angled, parallel, black 

 lines, the outer heavier, and marked with longitudinal stripes on the veinlets; 

 beyond, a broad, pale band, of very uniform width, slightly angled on the 

 median vein ; beyond, a mesial band margined with black, narrowing more 

 than usual on the inner margin, where it is less than one-third as broad as on 

 the costa, and the two black margins meet, forming two contiguous black 

 patches. In front, the band encloses obscure ringlets of cinereous; the sides 

 are more broadly dark on the costa ; discal dot black ; beyond, an obscure, 

 pate patch ; margin with a zigzag white line, the acute scallops enclosing 

 dark dots; edge of both wings with the usual black dots, and fringe concol- 

 orou.s with the rest of the wing, and hind wing uniform pale cinereous, with 

 1^ p n 



