KELLOGG: TAXONOMIC VALUE OF SCALES OF LEPIDOPTEKA. 83 



The scales of the wing-surface (excluding marginal scales) are 

 uniformly transparent, and are distinctly and beautifully striated. The 

 strise are as nearly truly parallel as any observed by me, and on a 

 given scale are very uniform as regards their distance from one 

 another. 



On the hindwings the scales are less specialized in form, indicated 

 by their long, slender outline, than on the forewing. They are less 

 numerous, too, overlapping but little. Towards the apex of the hind- 

 wing with the beginning of the metallic colors, the scales are shorter 

 and broader, more abundant and overlap conspicuously. 



Some details of outline and size and condition of striation are 

 briefly given, as follows: 



M. seppella (?): — Scales rounding or obtusely-angled at the tip; 

 lateral margins sub-parallel till near base; length of an average scale, 

 .0757 mm.; breadth, .037 mm.; distance between stride, .0023 mm. 



M. cIirYSolepi(h-na:—Sc3,\ts rather elongate, apex slightly rounding 

 or truncate; lateral margins sub-parallel or slightly converging near 

 base; length of an average scale, .117 mm.; breadth, .0486 mm.; 

 distance between striae, .0025 mm. 



M. fastuosella: — Scales very large; apex truncated to slightly 

 rounded; lateral margins usually converging posteriorly, apex, or 

 region near it, therefore, the widest part of the scale; length of scale 

 of maximum sixe, .24 mm.; of a scale of minimum size, .10 mm.; 

 breadth of an average scale, .075 mm.; distance between stride, .0027 

 mm. 



M. mansiictclla: — The striae are specially far apart in these scales, 

 an average distance between strice being .0428 mm; the length of an 

 average scale, .0914 mm. 



THE FRENAT/E. 



The Frenatae, including all the families of the Lepidoptera except- 

 ing the Hepialidae and Micropterygidae have been subdivided by 

 Prof. J. H. Comstock into two groups, viz.: the "generalized Fre- 

 natse " being a group of families which "are supposed to retain more 

 nearly than any other Frenatae the form of the primitive Frenatse, 

 those that were the first to appear on earth," and the "specialized 

 Frenatae." The venation of the wings affords, in the persistence of 

 the median vein in one or both pairs of wings and of two or three 

 anal veins in the forevvings, and three anals in the hindwings, a means 

 for distinguishing these generalized families. 



THE GENERALIZED FRENAT^. 



The "generalized Frenatae" include the small families, Megalo- 

 pygida;, Psychidae, Cossidae, Parasidae and Pyromorphidae. The 



