Studies on Life-history of Bomhycine Moths. 53 



piliferous warts, but on abdominal segments 1 to 7 are four piliferous 

 warts arranged in a trapezoid, and they are black, flattened, and 

 more or less radiate in appearance. 



The body is not quite so much flattened as in Lacosoma, so that 

 the spiracles are not so distinctly seen from above as in that genus; 

 they are black, those on the 8th abdominal segment about one-third 

 larger than those on the 7th segment, and they are more easily 

 seen from above. 



Compared with Lacosoma, Perophora differs in the presence of 

 the singular appendages of the head, in the broader, flatter, more 

 inclined face, the perfectly black prothoracic shield, which in Laco- 

 soma is banded, and is not black and opaque ; in the presence of 

 whitish granulations, Lacosoma being without any; in the 9th 

 abdominal segment being without any suture, but on the contrary 

 having a ridge instead, where in Lacosoma the 9th segment is nor- 

 mal, being separated by a well-marked suture from the 8th segment, 

 and also separated by a suture from the suranal plate. In Pero- 

 phora the suranal plate is more highly specialized and modified, 

 broader, and granulated. Also the bands on the end of the body of 

 Perophora are entirely effaced, while they are retained in Lacosoma. 



Thus Lacosoma is, as regards the larval characters, the less modi- 

 fied genus, and is more like the larvae of the normal Psychidce, such 

 as fficeticus and Thyridopteryx. 



As the females of the two genera mentioned are winged like the 

 males, they are evidently in this respect, as well as in the larval 

 characters, less modified and more generalized Lepidoptera than 

 the true Psychidae, and they should for these reasons be referred to 

 a distinct subfamily of the group, which may be called Lacosominae. 



The adaptational characters of Perophora are the following: — 



L The large, solid, dark head serving to stop up the anterior 

 entrance to its case. 



2. The consolidation of the 9th and 10th abdominal segments, 

 the entire dorsal surface forming a solid, firm, oblique surface to 

 close the posterior, or, in fact, either opening of its case, and thus 

 to resist the attacks of insectivorous birds. 



3. The wonderful power of shortening its body and thus dilating 

 it so as to enable it to retain its hold in its case and prevent its 

 being drawn out by birds. 



4. Its stout jaws enable it to bite firmly. 



5. Its unusually fierce and courageous disposition, undoubtedly 



