14 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



if guilt there be, and the greater, if not all the praise, if praise be merited, 

 as I most emphatically believe it is. 



But in view of all that is above, it will, I think, appear that my dis- 

 tinction in the Phycitidce is warranted. Genitalic differences may be used 

 in classification, and when the type of structure is different, may be used 

 for distinctions higher than genera, and finally, that no ordinary differences 

 in elemental structure afford a better basis for classification. 



This is all written upon the assumption that the form of the genital 

 organs is a secondary sexual character. Some of our best systematists 

 regard this structure as ?i primary sexual character. Prof J. B. Smith is 

 of this opinion, and his opinion is of the highest value. In that case the 

 value of the structure of the genitalia in classification is much increased, 

 and family distinction based upon it is the more fully warranted. 



NOTES ON C ARAM A AND OTHER MEGALOPYGID^. 



BY HARRISON G. DYAR, A. M., NEW YORK. 



Recently, I was informed by a friend that he had a Carama from 

 Washington, D. C. I naturally expected to see C. cretata, Grt. ; but 

 the specimen now before me proves to be Carama pura, Butl. This 

 raises the question of the validity of the specific characters used in the 

 genus. Caramas are rare in the United States, and it seems scarcely 

 probable that we have more than one species. Mr. Baker, in his review 

 of Carama, does not refer to cretata, Grt., though it is the fourth name in 

 point of priority. It is evident from his synopsis, however, that ^r^/rt/a 

 differs from ovina, Sepp., only in having the yellow colour confined to the 

 vertex of the head, and from discrepans, Wall., in its smaller size and 

 white front. 



I am of the opinion that these characters are nothing but individual 

 variations, and I think we shall be safe in adopting the following 

 synonymy. Probably several other names must come in, but I will go 

 no further at present than the specimens before me seem to warrant. 



Carama ovina, Sepp. (front pale.) 



cretata, Grote. 



var. VIRGO, Butl. (front dark.) 



pura, Butl. 



In the revision of North American " Bombyces," by Mr. Neumoegen 

 and myself, we include the genera Dalcerides and Eupoeya among the 



