355 



XStenoptilia sophodactyla Meyrick, Handbook 440, 1895. 

 Hofmann, Deutsch. Pter. 105, 1895 (biol). 

 Meyrick, Gen. Ins. C, 19, 1910. 

 Id., Wagner's Lep. Cat. pars 17, 29, 1913. 

 Mimaeseoptilus zophodactylus Tutt, Pter. Brit, 93, 1896 (biol.). 



Head and body gray brown. Antennae darker above. Palpi slightly paler 

 above, with a terminal tuft on second joint, below, which equals third joint. 

 Fore and middle legs white outside, brown within, hind pair more neutral in 

 color. Terminal half of abdomen with small dorsal dots in pairs in the pos- 

 terior margins of the segments. 



Primaries dull tawny or grayish brown, slightly ochreous brown on inner 

 margin, with scattered dark brown and white scales. These slightly checker 

 the costa and form a dash in the first lobe and lines along the veins of the second. 

 Discal markings as in ptcrodactyla, viz., two variable spots before cleft con- 

 nected by lines of brown scales with a sharper spot at middle of cell, and a 

 line from below this spot to base. Fringes gray-brown with white hairs, espe- 

 cially in the cleft. Outer margin of first lobe with two or three tufts of blackish 

 basal scales, sometimes connected. Second lobe with such a tuft at apex, 

 sometimes preceded by others along outer margin. Secondaries gray-brown; 

 fringes concolorous with pale bases. Expanse 18-21 mm. 



Distribution : Almost cosmopolitan. We have a good series from 

 San Diego, Cal., late June to late Aug. and a single specimen from 

 St. Petersburg, Fla., March. Zophodactyla was described from the 

 Pyrenees Mts., loc"ini from Italy, canalis from Australia and semi- 

 costata from Texas. 



We treated this species originally as si'micostata. and we owe 

 the discovery of its synonymy with zophodactyla entirely to Mr. Mey- 

 rick, whose decision was based on a specimen from our series. We 

 follow Meyrick's synonymy. 



The Museum of Comparative Zoology contains two types of 

 semicostata, $ and 9, both from Dallas, Tex. (Boll), and both in 

 good condition. These are before us as we write. 



The paired dorsal dots, dull color, and inconspicuous markings 

 are distinctive. The anal angles are slight on both lobes of the pri- 

 maries, a condition which separates the species from pallistriga. In 

 this species the first lobe has a rather prominent anal angle, while the 

 color and general appearance scarcely dififer. 



The only biological notes available to us are Porritt's, which we 

 quote : 



" * * * The larva is slightly less than half an inch in length, and of pro- 

 portionate bulk; head much smaller than the second segment, the lobes rounded 



