30 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



these sacks differed in various ways from those found on grass. 

 Regarding the venation, it is a well-known fact that in this family 

 the venation is variable and individuals with extra veins frequently 

 occur, usually one of the median or radial branches being involved ; 

 but we query greatly whether the venation be of "no value"; our 

 studies of Psychid venation have been very limited, but when such 

 a worker as Hampson divides this family into three subfamilies 

 (Moths Brit. Ind. Vol. I). Oeceticince, Psychince, and ChaliincF 

 on the basis of vein lb of primaries sending several, one, or no 

 branches to the internal margin, we are apt to regard such work 

 as authoritative; it at least forms a better basis for classification 

 than such a system as Dr. Dyar would apparently have us adopt 

 where all species with black wings are lumped together, regardless 

 of size, larval sack or venation. Hampson's system, as stated in 

 our paper, would throw Manatha nigrita into the Psychince and 

 Prochalia pygmcea into the ChaUincr. With regard to Platoeceticus 

 Packard (Ent. Amer. Ill, 52) distinctly states that the venation 

 of the secondaries is as in confederata Grt.; i.e., with vein 6 absent; 

 an examination of a long series of nigrita from both Florida and 

 Brownsville, Texas, has failed to show a single specimen in which 

 all the veins on the secondaries were not present; the presence of 

 eight veins can surely then be accepted as the normal condition. 

 This, combined with a marked difference in sack' and food plant, 

 would point to a specific distinctness. Dr. Dyar has frequently 

 (Megalopygidcv, Phycitince) erected new genera based on much 

 weaker characters than the above. His remark, that he has ex- 

 amined five specimens of carbonaria and found no two alike in 

 venation, proves nothing unless these five specimens have been 

 bred from similar sacks collected on similar food-plants. If this 

 be not so, then it would only show that the Psychidse of the National 

 Museum are in need of a careful revision. Further, Dr. Dyar is 

 very careful not to state in just what particulars these five speci- 

 mens differ from one another. We do not know whether the speci- 

 mens referred to by Dr. Dyar, as collected by Dr. F. M. Jones at 

 Biloxi, Miss., are those described as Eurycttarus tracyi (Ent. News 

 22, 194). In any case, our nigrita could not be confounded with 

 this insect, which is much heavier and stouter, besides differing in 

 venation. 



