i^C) . GELECHI1)/E. 



fJtora.v ; tlic longer secoiul joint compressed and with appresseti scales ; 

 terminal joint slender and pointed. Tongue of moderate length, 

 clothed with scales. Wings oblong or elongate, with rather long cilia, 

 the posterior with obtuse anal angle. In the anterior wings the lower 

 branch of the apical vein runs into the costa before the apex ; the sub- 

 dorsal vein is furcate ; in the posterior wings two veins proceed from 

 the transverse vein. 



This genus, as now restricted, still contains species of various 

 :is])ects and dilferent habits, though in structure they show a com- 

 plete agreement. Some of the species are so brightly coloured, 

 they might be ex])ected to be day- flying species, which I am not 

 aware to be the case ; others are of a dingy sombre appearance. 

 Tfipuncta wx^fnscesccns have a i)eculiar hovering flight, and run 

 about in the net \Aith tlieir wings slightly raised, almost invariably 

 dying with their wings over tlie back (thereby trying the patience 

 of the collector). JJiilfcIla has a partiality for stajiding almost 

 perpendicularly on its head, a position which (I believe) Innaris 

 also sometimes assumes; but more frequently Innaris reposes pa- 

 rallel to the surface on which it rests, with its pretty aniudated 

 forelegs stretched out before it, like a Ccnira. 



The larva of vnmitella is probably, like that oi p-seiido-sjjrcfclla, 

 a general feeder on all sorts of dry goods ; the latter, from its 

 large size, must do a cousidc^rable amount of injury where it ob- 

 tains a footing, and, though formerly unknown, is now abundant 

 throughout London, and has appeared iu many of the provincial 

 towns ; it may orginally have been imported, but it will ])robably 

 continue 13ritish, as long as there is trade and population in these 

 islands. As an instance of the voracity of the larva of psendo- 

 sjvcfc/Iti, ]\'fr. II. Doubleday, who has been much tormented with 

 them in his breeding-cages, has known them devour a living pupa 

 of SDierinlhus pojjuli. The larvte of all the other .yjecies probably 

 feed in decayed wood, and, as it is not likely that they attack 

 healthy trees, cannot be considered as injurious to us; but are 

 more to be considered in the light of scavengers employed in re- 

 moving that which is decayed and useless. 



There are seventeen species in this genus which have occurred 

 in this country; these species may be arranged in the following 

 table :— 



(I. Anterior wings black or dark fuscous. 



ti. With two yellow spots, ypecies 1, 3. 



tj h. With three yellowish spots. Species 3, 4. 



I) t) I). With yellowish fascial Species 5. 

 '/ K. Anterior wings dark orange, witli black marks on the margins. 



Species C), 7. 



