349 



back. Its larval slate continues about one month, and its pupa 

 condition is only four or five days. I can give no general de- 

 scription of the perfect insect or miller, by which it would be 

 recognized from others which somewhat resemble it. The miller 

 is crepuscular, or nocturnal in its habits, keeping quiet during the 

 day, but coming forth at dusk, and probably performing its labors 

 at that time. In the grass grounds about the College buildings at 

 Cambridge, I found, two days since, these moths very numerous ; 

 they flew up before m.e in hundreds, taking a short, angular 

 flight, and then disappearing in the grass again. 



The habits and peculiarities of such insects as these should re- 

 ceive marked attention from Naturalists and Entomologists. We 

 know that the locust appears in the same locality regularly, at 

 intervals of seventeen years, and we have imperfect accounts 

 of certain other insects, which appear in great numbers in par- 

 ticular places, at regular, shorter intervals. It may be that the 

 economy of this pest involves similar conditions, the intervals of 

 the successive advents being very much longer. 



Description of Rhinosia pometella, by Dr. T. W. Harris. 



Rhinosia pometella Harris. 



This insect belongs to a group or tribe called Tinead.e, and to 

 the genus Rhi7iosia of Treitsche, or Chcctochilus of Stephens. Most 

 of the insects belonging to the above named tribe are of small 

 size, and have diminutive specific names, ending in ella. As this 

 insect frequents the orchard (in Latin jJ0?7ie/M7?i,) it may be called 

 Rhinosia pometella, the little Rhinosia, or the little Snout-moth, 

 of the orchard. From other species of the same genus it may be 

 distinguished by the following characters. Fore wings ash-gray, 

 sprinkled with blackish dots, three of which, larger than the rest, 

 are placed triangularly near the middle ; a dusky transverse band 

 near the tips, and a curved row of seven black dots at the origin 

 of the terminal fringe. Hind wings dusky, with a leaden lustre, 

 black veins, and very long black fringes. Body and legs beneath 

 yellowish white, with a lustre of satin. Length, from the fore- 



