1894-] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 139 



at the end and another pair near the middle. The inner spurs 

 are much longer than the outer. The hind tibiae are in many 

 species clothed with long hairs along the upperside. 



The wings vary in form from trapezoidal to narrow or lanceo- 

 late, and in most cases have long fringes, especially toward the 

 anal angle of the hind wings. The venation is normal in those 

 species that have broad wings, but incomplete in many of the 

 narrow winged species. The hind wings are of plain colors and 

 without markings, while the fore wings of many, especially of 

 the smaller species, are most beautifully and brilliantly colored, 

 and the markings are very sharply defined. I know ot nothing 

 in nature that rivals the indescribable beauty of many of these 

 little minims of creation. Without doubt the plan of coloration 

 was inherited, but heightened and intensified by natural selection. 

 Some years ago while walking by a maple tree I saw what looked 

 like the excrement of a small bird on a leaf of the maple, but, 

 on closer examination, it proved to be a Stenoma schlcegeri rest- 

 ing on the leaf. So perfect was the resemblance to the excrement 

 of a bird that the protection seemed perfect. This observation 

 has been made by others on the same insect. 



The members of this family are principally vegetable feeders, 

 yet a few of them feed on hair, feathers, and woolen fabrics, often 

 causing great injury. Many of those living on vegetable matter 

 are of economic importance since they feed on such plants as are 

 of direct value to man, while a large number of the species feed 

 on plants that are of little or no value. 



The larvae of the larger species feed under ground on the roots 

 of plants; between leaves rolled or drawn together; or burrow 

 in stems, fungi or decayed wood. Some of the larvae of the 

 smaller species live in peculiarly shaped cases which they form 

 from portions of the leaves on which they feed. The great ma- 

 jority of the smaller species mine between the cuticles of the 

 leaves. These mines are very plainly visible, and their peculiar 

 form is characteristic of the species. 



A few of these insects hibernate during the Winter in the imago 

 state; a much larger number hibernate in the larval state, while 

 many pass the Winter in the pupal state. 



Some of the species fly in the middle of the day in the hot sun; 

 others fly in the night, but a great majority fly in the early morn- 

 ing or near sunset, especially on warm and calm evenings. Very 



