cossus. 123 



or sort of tail. Legs simple, more or less pilose. Tarsi composed 

 of five articles, of which the last is terminated by two small hooks. 

 The larva lives in the ground, and feeds on the roots of plants. It 

 is white or reddish-white, soft and naked, or slightly downy, with 

 a brown, horny head ; a spot on the forepart of the body, brown 

 and hard ; sixteen legs. Cocoons imperfect, sometimes made of 

 silk, sometimes of morsels of wood or grains fastened together by 

 gummy silk. 



1. E. argenteo-maciilatus Harris. Figured in Agassiz' Lake Superior, 

 pi. 7, fig. 6. 



Superior wings, ashen gray, with silvery white spots near the 

 base. Next to these are three or four brown spots, or an inter- 

 rupted line of brown not extending across, terminating towards 

 the inner angle in an oblong drab spot which extends»to the edge. 

 The centre is occupied by an oblique long spot of drab, with an 

 indistinct touch of brown in the middle. On the upper edge there 

 are four drab spots, the one nearest the tip being the largest and 

 rounded below. There is a broad margin of the same color on 

 the outer edge, gradually enlarging from near the tip and narrow- 

 ing at its termination. On this margin there are three indistinct 

 lines of silver white. 



The inferiors are pale yellow, pilose at the base ; an oblong 

 drab spot on the edge near the tip, and below the tip a large spot 

 of deeper yellow. 



On the under side the markings are similar, but much less dis- ' 



tinct. 



Harris. 



Fam. COSSIDAE. 



Body thick, rather densely pilose. Head small. Antennse 

 shorter than half the length of the wings. Palpi small, eyes 

 naked. Proboscis short, or none. Legs short and robust, 

 more or less pilose. Wings strongly veined. Flight noc- 

 turnah Wings in repose, tectiform. 



COSSUS Fab. 

 Body stout. Palpi very short or not visible. Antennae serrated 

 or pectinated, longer than the thorax. Abdomen extending more 



