552 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. m 



Walsingham described the 9 of A. cervinus as a new species in 1887. 

 His brief description was annotated as follows: 



Exp. al. 34 mm. Two females collected by Belfrage in Texas on the 16th and 18th 

 May (about 1868) respectively. I have not seen the male of this species, but, 

 although probably closely allied to plumifrontellus, the narrow fore wings with 

 straight costa and almost straight oblique apical margin show it to be distinct 

 from that species. 



There is nothing in Walsingham 's description of and comment on cer- 

 vinus to prove that it could not be plumifrontelliLs. In addition, his 

 single illustration of the head of the 9 in lateral aspect appears about 

 the same as his figure of the 9 head for plumifrontellus. 



In 1900, Dyar properly suspected cervinus to be synonymous with 

 plumifrontellus when he said of the former: "The genitalia of this 

 form do not differ perceptibly from those of plumifrontellus, Clem. 

 The moths are smaller, paler and less strongly marked, somewhat 

 narrower winged; but I doubt the specific distinctness of the form." 

 However, Dyar continued to list cervinus as a distinct species in his 

 check list of 1903. 



The type 9 is at the British Museum. A photograph from Tams 

 labeled "cervinus Wals., type 9" shows the adult in dorsal aspect. It 

 is evident that the type specimen is simply a pale or faded 9 of plumi- 

 frontellus. Thus, cervinus Walsingham should be considered an old 

 synonym of plumifrontellus (Clemens) with Dyar and Forbes receiving 

 most of the credit for properly placing it. 



In 1887, BeutenmiiUer briefly described his "Acrolophus plumifron- 

 tellus^ Clem., var. angustipennella, n. var." as follows: "This variety 

 differs from the type form in having the wings much narrower, and the 

 markings almost absent. It is also much smaller. Expanse of wings 

 25 mm. 6 cf , Georgia and Fla." 



I have received numerous specimens from Georgia, Florida, and 

 elsewhere answering to BeutenmuUer's brief description of angusti- 

 pennella quoted above. Examination of the genitalia of these moths 

 has clearly shown them aU to be simply minor geographical variations 

 of plumifrontellus. 



The type cT in the U.S. National Museum is labeled "type no. 402, 

 Florida, BeutenmueUer Collection." Its genitalia had been removed 

 and mounted on a slide by August Busck on Aug. 9, 1920. These 

 confirmed the identity of angustipennellus with plumifrontellus. 

 Therefore, angustipennellus Beutenmuller should be considered an 

 old synonym of plumifrontellus (Clemens) with Dyar receiving most 

 of the credit for its proper placement. 



