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DESCRIPTIONS OF AUSTRALIAN MICRO- 

 LEPIDOPTERA. 



By E. Meyrick, B.A., F.R.S., Corresponding Member. 



XVIII. GELECHIAD^. 



This family forms a smaller proportion of the Tineina in the 

 Australian region than it does in Europe, amounting perhaps to 

 about 12 per cent, of the whole. As, however, the species are 

 often retired in habit, small, inconspicuous, and rather difficult 

 to study, they have been much neglected, and may perhaps prove 

 eventually to be more relatively numerous than they seem at 

 present. Fortunately only seven species were known to Walker, 

 others assigned by him to this family being wrongly attributed. 

 Mr. 0. Lower has in late years described some number; he has 

 very kindly transmitted specimens of all these (frequently the 

 actual types) to me for examination, so that I have been able to 

 ascertain positively their identity in all cases; this assistance has 

 been most valuable. Much material in specimens and notes of 

 localities has also been received from him, as well as from Mr. 

 G. Lyell, the late Mr. G. Barnard, and other collectors whose 

 records are duly acknowledged in their place. Altogether 274 

 species are here recorded, of which 207 are now described as new. 

 Of this total 85 species, or not much less than a third, are 

 included in the endemic genus Protolechia, but no other strictly 

 endemic genus attains any large size, though 40 out of the 55 

 genera are endemic, so far as is known. 



The family characters are as follows : — 



Head smooth. Tongue developed. Antennae in $ ciliated or 

 more usually simple, basal joint usually without pecten. Labial 

 palpi long, curved, ascending, terminal joint pointed, usually 

 slender and very acute. Maxillary palpi very short, appressed. 



