Tineidse 
imago, or perfect insect, but by the larva, or caterpillar. This is 
represented in all its destructive ugliness in the annexed cut. 
Its food is animal fibers, and it constructs for itself a cocoon 
of bits of wool or hair, in which transformation into a pupa finally 
takes place. It is partial to all animal hair. It feeds upon furs, 
woolens, carpets, horsehair mattresses, and even to some extent 
upon silken fabrics, though it has no positive preference for the 
latter. The insect, like all the others of its class, has been intro¬ 
duced into this country from the Old World. In a separate 
article the writer will speak of the best method of preventing its 
ravages. 
Genus TINEA Linnaeus 
(i) Tinea pellionella Linnaeus. (The Fur-moth.) 
Syn. flavescentella Haworth; merdella Zeller; dubiella Stainton; griseella 
Chambers. 
This insect makes for itself a movable case in which it travels 
about in the larval stage. Its food is very much the same as that 
of the preceding 
species, and it 
is equally de¬ 
structive. The 
moth differs 
from the pale- 
coloredClothes- 
moth in having 
the fore wings 
darker. They 
are, in fact, 
quite gray, mot¬ 
tled with darker 
gray, as shown in the cut which we have herewith caused to be 
reproduced. A comparison between the figures of this and the 
succeeding species will enable the student to readily discrimi¬ 
nate them. The lower left-hand figure gives a good representa¬ 
tion of the case made out of bits of hair in which the caterpillar 
performs its migrations. The insect is many-brooded, according 
to the temperature of its domicile. In the warmer parts of the 
country the processes of generation no doubt go on continuously. 
433 
Fig. 253. — T. pellionella. (After Riley.) 
