48 Bulletin 64. 



vated crops. Therefore it seems important that our knowledge 

 of them be increased and that it be made easily accessible. 



This paper has been prepared as a contribution to such know- 

 ledge. The investigation upon which it is based was carried on 

 in the insectary of the Cornell University Kxperiment Station, 

 and I have been allowed the free use of the entomological collec- 

 tion of the University. The scope of this paper has been some- 

 what broadened by the addition of figures and discussions of several 

 species not yet found in the Ithaca fauna, kindly given me by Rev. 

 Geo. D. Hulst. These are those numbered 4,6,7,13,17,23 and 27. 

 I am indebted to Dr. C. H. Fern aid for the determination of sev- 

 eral species ; to Samuel Henshaw for the privilege of examining 

 the collection of Cra7nbus in the museum of Harvard University 

 and in the museum of the Boston Society of Natural History ; 

 and also to Mr. Wm. Beutenmiiller for an opportunity of examin- 

 ing the collection of the late Henry Edwards. 



The genus Crambus is world-wide in distribution ; species 

 having been described from widely separated countries of each 

 continent and from a number of the larger islands. Over sixty 

 North American species have been catalogued. In Ithaca twenty 

 species occur and, judging from the recorded distribution, this 

 may be regarded as nearly the average number of species that 

 might occur in any one locality on this continent. The various 

 species resemble each other so closely that the characters of almost 

 any species would enable even a non-scientific man to refer the 

 others to this genus. 



General Characteristics. — Among grass insects Crambids 

 may be recognized by their peculiar habit of folding the 

 wings partially around the abdomen.^' The moths are 

 rather small, slender creatures, with very long snout-like 

 palpi. (Fig. 2.) From their long snout-like palpi they, 

 with many others, have been termed Snout Moths. The 

 larger species are about half an inch long and with 

 wings that spread about an inch. The fore wing often fig. 2.— 

 presents pretty designs in silver, gold, yellow, brown, Paips. c. 

 black and white or they may be of a nearly unbroken genu's, 

 somber color. The hind wings are usually a white or ^" '^^^' 

 grayish color. Both fore and hind wings are ornamented with 



* In two seasons collecting I have failed to see any similar moths in the 

 grass with this habit. 



