NORTH AMERICAN I.EPIDOPTERA. 97 



Stephens (Cat. Brit. Insects, 1829) proposes two new genera, Oii- 

 cocera and Araxes. These he described in Bi-it. Ento. HausteUata, 

 1834, iv, pp. 313 and 315, but all the species had already been placed 

 by Hiibner nnder his genera, so both become synonyms. 



Treitschke's only genus, Myelophila (Schmet. Eur. vol. x, pt. 3, 

 1835) is a synonym of Jlyelois. 



Duponchel names two genera, Ilythia = Earhodojje Hi'ib., and 

 Diosia = Cutastia Hiib. 



Gueuee, in his " Index Methodicus" ('Ann. Soc. Ento. France, 

 1845), gives the names of some new genera, but entirely Avithout 

 descriptions. It may be a question with some whether such names 

 should be retained. Zoological law determines that a type holds a 

 generic name as well as a description. For myself I consider the 

 knowledge of the type far preferable to any description, and so have 

 no hesitancy in retaining genera where the type is a species assuredlv 

 determined. In the " Index" Guenee proposes the following genera : 

 Megims, Bmchodes, Chionea, Ehodophcea, Plodia, BnmpJiodes. Ephes- 

 fl<(, Lotria, Semnia and Argijrodes. Hiibner's genera are ignored, 

 and, indeed, I doubt whether Guenee then, or at the time lie wrote 

 his " Phalenites," knew anything about Hiibner. Guenee seems, all 

 through his work, to have entirely lacked the systematic facultv, and 

 his " Index" is valueless as a basis of classification. 



The genera represented in the North American fauna are Megasis, 

 Rhodophiea, Plodia, Bhamphodes and Ephestia. 



Megasis ("Index" p. 71) has" two species under it, rippertella and 

 dllucideUa Dup. = iUignella Zell. The latter has been made the 

 type. 



Bhodophcea (" Index" p. 74). ]\Ir. Ragonot, in hi.-< remarks on 

 Hiibner's genera already quoted, says this genus does not differ in 

 structure from Enrhodope Hiib. On account of the differences in 

 appearance, however, he retains it as a subgenus. In his Cat. X. A. 

 Phycitida^ he tabulates it as a genus. It is. however, abundantly 

 distinct from Eurhodope in that the ocelli are present, while wanting 

 in Enrhodope. 



Plodia (Index p. 80). This has one species under it, inteypunctel/a, 

 and is a good genus. 



Bamphodes (Index p. 81). This has one species under it. efie/la 

 Treit. =1 zinckenella Treit Zeller, however, created foi- this species 

 (Isis 1839) the genus EtieJIa. 



TKANS. .\M. ENT. soc. XVII. (13) .MARCH. 1890. 



