56 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [March, 



Below the costal is the subcostal vein running- parallel with it 

 a variable distance and then forking at the tip, never into more 

 than two branches. One of these branches may also be obsolete, 

 and there may then be a single vein running from base to outer 

 margin. 



Below the subcostal at base starts the median vein, and this in 

 its branchings is exactly like the corresponding vein of the pri- 

 maries. The median cell is also formed in the same way, and 

 may also be either open or closed. As in the 'primaries, vein 5, 

 the last branch of the median, is very variable in position, and 

 furnishes good characters. Below the median there may be one, 

 two or three submedian veins, and these furnish bases for large 

 divisions. The Tortricids and Pyralids, for instance, all have 

 three internal or submedian veins, while the macros rarely have 

 more than two. Sometimes one or the other of these veins forks 

 at the base, and this also is a good character. Counting all the 

 median veins as one, the secondaries have eight veins, the sub- 

 costal system being little developed as compared with the prima- 

 ries. Here also the numbering system is most generally used, 

 the numbers in the figure being those generally adopted. 



At the base of the secondaries next the primaries, there is fre- 

 quently a spine or spur, which fits into a more or less evident 

 loop on the under side of the primaries, and serves to hold the 

 wings together. This is called the frenelum or frenum. There 

 is a curious sexual modification in this structure. In the males 

 it is always a single spine only. In the female it is never simple, 

 but there are two. three, or even four weaker spines, or even a 

 little bunch of stiff hair only. 



The above is the typical venation to which all modifications 

 found in the Lepidoptera may be reduced. A few aberrant types 

 only, like the Hepialidae and Psychidae, will need special explana- 

 tion. 



(To be continued.) 



A St. Louis physician states that he has discovered peculiar microscop- 

 ical insects in cigarettes. This may account for the wormy look so many 

 ot" their consumers wear. }] r as]iington Post. 



A canary with a swollen hind toe was brought to a bird fancier recently, 

 and he pronounced the trouble poisoning from a mosquito bite. He said 

 the thing was not uncommon. .\<T. ' York Situ. 



