100 WM. G. DIETZ, M.D. 



On PI€iRITIA Clem. 

 BY WM. G. DIETZ, M.D., HAZLETON, I'A. 



This genus, of which P. laticapitella Clem, is the type, is charac- 

 terized by its author as follows (Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci., May, 1860, 

 ed. Stainton, p. 135) : 



Forew iugs narrow, elongated, pointed and very slightly retuse on the costa 

 before the tip. The subcostal sends to the costa, before the apical third of the 

 wing, a long, thick vein, which arises behind the middle and subdivides into 

 three branches at the tip, the apical being forked, with one of its branches de- 

 livered to the tip, and the others to the costa before it. The discoidal cell is 

 much elongated and narrow, and sends to the hinder margin a disco-central 

 branch. The median is three branched at the tip, all of which are short, and the 

 two upper veins arise on a common stalk. Submedian is forked at the base, with 

 the lower branch nearly obsolete. Hind wings narrowly lanceolate, broad at 

 base, with interior angle rounded. The subcostal vein is simple and extended to 

 the tip. Discoidal cell closed by a very faint nervure, giving rise to a simple 

 nervule. Median nervure is three branched, the last two branches from a com- 

 mon base. Head smooth, with decumbent scales, slightly retracted. Forehead 

 broad and rounded ; face with the scales spreading out at the base of the tongue, 

 so as to make it nearly equally broad. Eyes oval, nearly vertically placed. 

 Ocelli small. Labial palpi very short, smooth; first and second joints rather 

 thick; terminal joint pointed, slender and as long as the second. No maxillary 

 palpi. Antennae setaceous, simple in the female, microscopically pubescent in 

 the male, rather more than one-half as long than the forewlngs; basal joint 

 flattened and expanded into a small eye-cup, with cilite, in front. Tongue scaled, 

 rather longer than the thorax beneath. 



Dr. Clemens further adds : " I have hut one male, which is with- 

 out labial palpi, etc." There is scarcely a doubt that he failed to 

 recognize these extremely small, almost rudimentary organs in the 

 male. He also describes the discoidal cell of hind wings closed by 

 a very faint nervure; it is open, except between veins 6 and 7, 

 where it is closed by a faint, oblique vein. 



A careful study of the material in my collection has led to the 

 discovery of characters not in keeping with Pigritia sensu Clem. 

 Looked upon as a whole, the species present a habitus peculiarly 

 their own, and form a well-defined group of the family G-'^cophoridje, 

 aualagous to the Blastobasida3 of Lord Walsingham, to which, in- 

 deed, they would bear a very close relationship, was it not for the 

 verv different formations of the labial palpi and the absence of the 

 excision in the antennae of the male. 



