146 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



moths. The tibiae are variously armed, but become unarmed in the 

 weaker genera, Homopyralis, etc., and as we approach the Deltoidince. 

 In Europe this tribe seems represented only by Pericyma and Zethes- 

 As we go southward the moths of this tribe become more numerous and 

 we find the largest Noctuidce among them in Erebus and Thysania. The 

 tribe is tropical and subtropical, and some of the species are summer 

 migrants from the South, not breeding in the Middle and Eastern States, 

 or Canada. 



There remain to be considered certain tropical forms which are found 

 in Florida, or accidentally on our coast, such as Hexeris enhydris., 

 Syllectra erycata and Brotis vulneraria. These probably are to be 

 separated as affording distinct tribal types, but I cannot at the moment 

 compare their structure with that of their South American allies. The 

 tribe Pangraptini, with the frail genera Pangrapta and Phaiaenostola, 

 seems to close the series and lead to the Deltoids. The North American 

 genera must be compared here with their tropical allies. This element 

 of our fauna conies from the south, and, as we have seen, is almost 

 wanting in Europe. 



Sub-family Deltoidincs. 



This sub-family was formerly regarded as belonging to the Pyralidce. 

 In the vernacular the Deltoids are called " Snout Moths," from the long 

 labial palpi. But Herrich-Schgeffer showed that in their essential char- 

 acters they conform to the Noctuid type; they are pyralidiform Noctuidce. 

 The wings are usually pointed at the tips, the colours are gray and dusty, 

 the usual Noctuid ornamentation is hardly to be discerned. The eyes 

 are always naked. They fall into two principal tribes. The character 

 of this sub-family becomes again largely European, As the name 

 " Snout Moths " refers to this sub-family, I have called the Pyralidce by 

 the name of Sparkler Moths. 



Tribe Herminiiiii. 



The type of this tribe is the European Herminia tcHtacularis, to 

 which our North American Philometra is related. The wings are con- 

 colorous, marked with. continuous lines, reminding us of the Pheocymini 

 and the Geometridce. The antennae are often furnished with sexual 

 nodosities. The species fly in grass upon which the larv£e generally feed. 



