Sept., 1907.] BuscK : New American Microlepidoptera. 137 



This and the two following species differ somewhat in venation 

 from the definition of the genus as given by Lord Walsingham and in 

 my Gclechia revision (page 916). But they are undoubtedly properly 

 referable to that genus, the scope of which is thus somewhat 

 widened. 



These three species all have veins 7 and 9 in the forewings stalked 

 instead of separate as in the hitherto described species of the genus 

 and none of them possess the notched antennae in the males as is found 

 in the type of the genus. 



The present species has vein 4 out of the stalk of veins 2 and 3 in 

 the forewings as in the genus Brachmia. 



One of the specimens of which I made a slide shows an abnormality 

 which gave me considerable trouble, before it was rightly interpreted 

 for me by my esteemed friend Mr. Edw. Meyrick. It had apparently 

 12 perfect veins in the forewings instead of the 11 veins normal to this 

 genus (vein 8 being absent, coincident with 7) and the position of the 

 additional vein, which I presume was the normally obsolete vein, out 

 of vein 6 and ending in the terminal edge below apex, gave me, I 

 thought, a clue to another explanation of the venation in this group, 

 which would have excluded it from the family Gelechiidae. 



Fortunately I sought the help of Mr. Meyrick, sending him slides 

 and specimens and this master mind at once cleared the difficulties, 

 pointing out, that the bifurcation of vein 6 has nothing to do with 

 vein 7, but is merely an abnormal fission ; Mr. Meyrick writes that he 

 has observed similar fission of veins in quite a number of instances in 

 other Lepidoptera, where there was no other possible explanation, all 

 the usual veins being present as well ; * but he does not know a single 

 case of such a structure having become normal in a species, though 

 similar fission of other structures, e. g., of stamens in flowers is admit- 

 tedly often established and normal as is proved in such cases by study 

 of embryonic development. 



I wish here once more to acknowledge publicly my great indebt- 

 ment to my learned friend, Mr. Edw. Meyrick, whose profound 

 knowledge and most liberal assistance has again and again helped me 

 over difficulties, which I could not have managed alone. 



*Two such cases are recorded by the writer (Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., Vol. XXVII, 

 pp. 746-747, 1904) ; one being a specimen of He7nerophila alpinella Busck, which 

 had nine veins in the right hindwing, and the other a specimen of Scardia fuscofas- 

 ciella Chambers, with thirteen veins in the left forewing. 



