Sept., 1Q03.] Kearfott : New American Tineoidea. 159 



inous. Thoracic feet concolorous, a small triangular brown spot cephalad and ventrad 

 to each. Abdominal feet normal, small crochets of hooks complete, in minute circles. 

 Skin uniformly pale yellow, dorsal line and anal segments smoky yellow, from 

 food visible through clear skin. Spiracles minute, concolorous. Tubercular plates 

 obsolete, tubercles very minute, setaj short and very minute, pale yellow. 



Pupa. — From empty pupal skin : length 7 to 8 mm., width 1.8 mm. to 2 mm. 

 Shape cylindrical, gradually tapering from thorax to anal segment, emergence 

 affected by a split on dorsal line to and through mesothorax, on ventral surface the 

 separation occurs on outside edge of one eye piece, and almost an even line to base 

 of labial palpi, the latter is separated from adjoining tissue but remains attached at base. 

 Wing cases, antennae, and metathoracic feet extend down to posterior edge of seventh 

 abdominal segment. Labial palpi to posterior edge of third abdominal segment. Eye- 

 covers very small, clypeus small, narrow triangular at lower edge where it joins 

 labrum. I cannot make out a distinct suture defining maxillary palpi. Anal seg- 

 ment terminates in an obtuse point, no defined cremaster or hooks, both dorsal and 

 ventral surfaces are evenly smooth, free from deep sutures or hooks and setse are so 

 short as to be mvisible under a lens of moderate power. 



Late in August, last year, I noticed in a swampy meadow near 

 Caldwell, N. J., a large proportion of the common late purple aster 

 (^ Aster patens h.\\..') with their lateral twigs or branches dwarfed in a 

 peculiar manner (Plate IX, Fig. 18, enlarged), and on investigation 

 found each of these twigs to contain a lepidopterous pupa. 



This year, I have made almost weekly examinations of the plants, 

 and not until late in July were the larvae found, apparently nearly full 

 grown as they began pupating the first week in August. 



A moth was caught on a warm day late in November, having been 

 beaten up from its resting place close to or almost on the ground. 



Another peculiarity in connection with the life-history of this 

 species is that it seems to be partially dependent upon the habits of 

 another insect to prepare its habitat. Each of the Aster plants on 

 which biisckiella larvae or pupae were found in the lateral stems, were 

 tenanted in the main or central stem by a single larva of Thiodia ra- 

 diatana Wlsm., a large Tortricid. This larva makes a long burrow or 

 excavation, three or four inches long, open at the top, destroying the 

 central bud ; thus the plant, pruned at the top, immediately starts a 

 vigorous growth of laterals. On some plants as many as a dozen were 

 found, each tenanted by biisckiella. The Tortricid larva remains in 

 the stem throughout the winter, deserting it late in March or early 

 April and pupates on the ground, in a closely spun brown cocoon 

 among the dried grass, leaves, etc. 



The life cycle of biisckiella then appears to be : Hibernation in the 

 perfect state, eggs laid during June, after radiatana has dwarfed the 



