THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Length of body, male, 33 m.m.j female, 26 m.m.j exp. al., 40 m.m. 



Habit. — The type, a female in bad condition from New Mexico (for- 

 merly Western Texas), Pecos River, May 14, from Capt. Pope's Expedi- 

 tion ; a female from Idaho, Snake River, by Cyrus Thomas, 1S72; a male 

 from Bridger Basin, Wyoming, by Mr. Garman ; Nevada, H. Edwards. 

 I have never seen more than these four specimens, which are all alike. 



The words of my description, Syn., p. 235, " vertex with two trans- 

 verse black lines, the hind one interrupted," are to understand that the 

 first line is formed by the front edge of the vertex, the second by the 

 spots described. 



ON THE DIAGNOSES OF N. AM. PHYCITID.E, BY E. L. 



RAGONOT. 



BY A. R. GROTE, BREMEN, GERMANY. 



I have received from the author a copy of this pamphlet in which a 

 large number of North American species and genera are somewhat briefly 

 described in anticipation of the publication of a general Monograph. 

 That M. Ragonot is in a situation to materially increase our general 

 knowledge of the group cannot be doubted. He has long collected types 

 and specimens, and has studied the characters of the Old World genera. 

 I have deprecated the description of Phycidce without giving the full 

 structural characters, and in so far as this has been done do I agree with 

 M. Ragonot's introductory remarks. But I by no means consider that 

 American authors should wait upon M. Ragonot to name their material, 

 nor that what Dr. Staudinger chooses to do is binding upon them in the 

 matter. I object to any hasty descriptions in this group, without denud- 

 ing the wings and studying the head and mouth parts under the micro- 

 scope. When this is done and a full description given, the term " hap- 

 hazard " will no longer apply. For the element of certainty in a generic 

 reference in these moths is only relative. I objected to Prof. Riley's 

 descriptions, not because I differed as to the generic references, but 

 because the species were described without structural characters being 

 given, and from the obscure nature of the ornamentation and the great 

 general resemblance among the Phycidce, one can hardly determine a 

 species from a description of the colour and markings alone. 



