THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 155 



i^/'/iosa is a well known species of this sub-family, and might also be taken 

 for a Geometer. I have captured it flying in the sunshine, in company 

 with JVemoria, a small Geometer which much resembles it in form, but is 

 different in size and color. Ferruginosa does not make a cocoon, the 

 chrysalis being found under stones, with the larval skin generally adhering 

 to its extremity. In the sub-family CochHdffi. one of the genera is named 

 Tortricidia, from the great resemblance of the moths to those of Tortrix, 

 they having narrow wings, slender bodies and filiform antennse. The 

 Psychidffi also contains some remarkable species. The genus Phryganidia 

 has many analogies with the Phryganidae, a group of water-flies in the 

 Neuroptera, not only in appearance, but even in the neuration of the 

 wings, according to Packard. A European species of this sub-family. 

 Psyche helix, has been known to produce young from eggs not fertilized 

 by the male. The larva lives in a case made of grains of sand arranged 

 in the form of a snail shell, thus resembling the Phryganida; in habits, as 

 it also does in structure. 



The sub-family Ptilodontes includes moths which are very easily mis- 

 taken for Noctuas. Indeed in some instances it is almost impossible to 

 tell the difference, and, vice versa, there are moths classed among the 

 Noctuidae which, in the opinion of first-rate judges, should be ranked with 

 this family. The first division of the Noctuas is styled the Bombycia; or 

 Bombycoides, from the resemblance of the insects to the Bombycidte, not 

 only in the perfect, but in the larva state. Acronycta is very like Hetero- 

 cavipa and the kindred genera in the Bombycidje. The colors are similar 

 and the larvae are hairy, like those of Arctia. I notice in the American 

 Entomologist for 1880, page 49, that these facts have engaged the attention 

 of Mr. Butler, a high English authority, who communicated a paper to the 

 London Entomological Society on the subject, illustrated by an exhibition 

 of preserved larvae from the collection of Lord Walsingham. He ana- 

 lyzed the genus Acrojiycta, as represented in England, with the following 

 result : Rumicis and auricoma should be transferred to the Arctiidae ; 

 leporina and aceris to the Liparidae ; niegacephala, psi, tridens, strigosa, 

 etc., to the Notodontidae, leaving only alni and ligustri among the 

 Noctuas. If the life history of our Acronyctas were worked up, and their 

 larvai all known, it would be an interesting task to trace the similarities of 

 the species to the Bombycidae, and might result in equally remarkable 

 conclusions. One suggestive case might be mentioned. The larva of 

 Apatela (or Acronycta) Americana is a large, woolly, yellowish caterpillar 



