NORTH AMERICAN I.EPIDOPTKRA. 113 



mens have been examined, all the parts having been carefully 

 bleached. The European species typical of genera were all deter- 

 mined by Dr. Staudinger and Mr. Ragonot. The American species 

 typical of Mr. Ragonot's genera I have, by his kindness, seen in the 

 large majority of cases, though sometiines it was impossible to make 

 dissections, and consequently in many cases I am able to add but 

 little, if anything, to Mr. Ragonot's diagnoses. 



In the determination of genera I have felt the need of larger 

 series of the most of the species. I have therefore thought it best 

 for the present to include all of Mr. Ragonot's genera, even though 

 I am confident from tendencies in variation it will be found the 

 number may have to be hereafter considerably lessened. 



But on this same basis I have had to multii)ly genera in the 

 Crambid Phycitidje, so great are the structural differences, and so 

 little is the material for comparison. 



With regard to structure I have found in some respects the sec- 

 ondary sexual characters to be least subject to variation. Yet I dis- 

 like basing genera upon anything which is not common to both sexes. 

 For this reason I prefer, as far as possible, to make use of the char- 

 acters common to the sexes, and so emphasize the structure of labial 

 palpi, tongue, venation and the common ornamentation in tuftings 

 and scale ridges. 



It is to be understood that i-eference is made only to American 

 species in my determination of genera and species in all synopses, and 

 it is also to be understood that when no reference is made to any 

 special organ, it is of the normal structure of the family, if I am 

 acquainted with it. 



In the numbering of the veins, they are always nundiered as if 

 all were pi-esent. In this I follow the older authorities, considering 

 it far preferable to Mr. Meyrick's method of numbering in regular 

 order without regard to the obsolescence of one or more of those 

 which are intermediate. 



PHYCITIDiE Rag. 



Ento. Mon. Mag. xxii, 20, 1885. 

 Phycidi Guen., Index Meth. 70, 1845. 



Phycidese Zeller, Isis 1848, p. 583; von Heiuemauu, P.vr. p. 145, 1865. 

 Phycidse Walk., C. B. M. pt. 27, p. '22. 1863; Grote, Bull. U S. Geol. Snrv. Terr. 



iv, 692, 1878; Meyrick, Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. W. iii, 200, 1878; vii, 155. 1882. 

 Pyralidse with hair pectination on lower median vein of hind wings at base 



al)ove ; maxillary palpi not triangular scale tufted, and not lying closely 



appressed on labial palpi at base. 



TRANS. AM. ENT. SOC. XVII. I 15) M.^RCH, 1890 



