THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 71 



A NEW PYRALID. 



BY MARY E. MURTFELDT, KIRKWOOD, MO. 



Titanio heiiajithiales, n. sp. 



Alar expanse 15 to 16 mm. 



Head small, with long, rather bristly scales, of which it is easily 

 denuded, the colours mingled dingy white and buff; labial palpi project- 

 ing, elongate triangular, densely scaled, of a buff colour, indistinctly 

 margined with white ; maxillary palpi not in evidence ; tongue slender, 

 naked, eyes globular, large, purplish brown; antennae silvery white above, 

 pale brown beneath, the joints distinct and clothed with very short pubes- 

 cence. Thorax buff with white median line, patagia buff, bordered more 

 or less distinctly with white. Abdomen clothed with buff or fulvous 

 scales, with indistinct bands of white at base. Legs shading from pale 

 brown femora to yellowish-white tarsi. Wings broad. Fore wings, ground 

 colour of black, buff and white scales intermingled, ranging from dark to 

 light in proportion to the number of white scales, which is variable ; a 

 narrow, rather indefinite, white streak extends longitudinally from the 

 base of the wing near the inner margin to about the middle ; a more dis- 

 tinct white area has its base on the costa in the apical third extending 

 obliquely backward about half across the wing ; a narrow white line 

 curves around the outer margin, diverging quite widely from the latter 

 near the apical and the outer angles, most distinct near the costa, where 

 it very nearly touches the base of the costal fascia, to this succeeds a 

 dark band and a second narrower white line followed by a fine black 

 marginal line ; fringes white, variegated with two dusky bands. Hind 

 wings yellowish-white at base, shading to dusky toward the outer margin, 

 near which is an obscure whitish band ; fringes similarly marked to those 

 on fore wings. Under side of fore wings rather dark, silvery gray, except 

 along the inner margin, where it is almost white ; near the apical angle is 

 a light spot, larger and of oblong form in the ^ , small and round in the 

 ? . Described from two $ s and two $ s. The combination of colours 

 gives to the eye the general impression of pale purplish-gray, or "laven- 

 der" — -to employ a milliner's term — and there is considerable variation 

 in pattern and proportion of the silvery white scales, which makes an 

 exact description difficult. 



The adolescent stages of this insect are peculiarly interesting. It is 

 a true leaf-miner and, so far as I have been able to learn, the only mem- 

 ber of its family as yet discovered to have that habit. It works between 



