THE WINGS OF CONIOPTERYGID.E 213 



The wings, and the body as well, are covered by a powder}^ efflorescence, 

 which 'gives the insects a very characteristic appearance. 



The family has been monographed by Enderlein ('06), who figures the 

 wings of a large proportion of the known species. This author uses the 

 wings of Scmidalis alenrodiformis (Fig. 211) to illustrate the type of wing- 

 venation characteristic of the family. Although these wings represent as 

 generalized a condition as is found in the family, even here the radial sector 

 is reduced. to a two-branched condition, and this is true also of the media; 

 the second and third anal veins coalesce at the base ; and there are but few 

 cross-veins. No accessory veins are present. In this species the fore and 

 hind wings are quite similar in venation. 



Among the more striking modifications of this typical form are the fol- 

 lowing: In two genera, Aleuropteryx and Helicons, vein R4+5 has the 

 appearance of being a branch of media, the radial sector appearing to be 

 unbranched and the media three-branched. Media is unbranched in both 

 fore and hind wings of Coniocomposa and in the hind wing of Coniopteryx. 

 In the genus Conwentzia, of which two species are known, the fore wings do 

 not differ markedly from those of Semidalis, but the hind wings are very 

 small and their venation is greatly reduced. 



