192 LIFE-HISTORIES OF TINEIDA 
During the cold weather the larvee are not much in evidence and seem to 
hibernate, but from about the end of February onwards they are sufficient- 
ly common. The larva seems to feed on dead organic matter of animal 
origin, such as dead insects or insect excreta. The larva is about 5 mm. 
long and about 0°8 mm. across prothorax, the mesothorax and meta- 
thorax rather narrower, the abdomen broadening to about 1 mm. towards 
anal extremity, convex dorsally, flattened ventrally, whitish-yellow ; head 
dark chestnut-brown or black, shiny, with comparatively large antenne ; 
prothorax with a black shiny dorsal plate narrowly divided medially and 
also a similar ventral plate ; mesothorax with a black shiny medially-divided 
dorsal plate and ventrally with a smaller ventral plate ; metathorax with a 
less strongly chitinized medially divided dorsal plate ; legs very developed, 
the second pair longer than the first, and the third pair longer than the second 
and about twice as long as. the first ; scattered whitish hairs on body ; five 
pairs of minute prolegs. The larva lives inside a flattened grey silken case 
which may measure 10 mm. long by 2°5 mm. broad across the middle, tapering 
towards both extremities which are open and similar. The larva is not fixed 
inside the case but can project its head from either end at will. The exact 
length of life-cycle has not been noted. 
TINEOLA BISSELLIELLA, HUMM. 
Tineola bisselliella, Hummel, Essais Ent., II, 6-12, 13-14 (1823) (!) ; Wlsm., 
P. Z. S., 1907, 1026 [references](?). 
This is an almost world-wide species, doubtless spread artificially, and 
known to occur in Europe, North Africa, North America, Australia and New 
Zealand. It has not been recorded from India before, but we have it from 
Peshawar and it is probably widely distributed within our limits. 
The larva is described by Meyrick (Handbook, p. 782) as “ whitish ; head 
brown ; on hair, wool, etc.” Frohawk (Entom., XX, 233) records a larva 
which lived for three yeats, feeding on bird’s feathers. 
TRICHOPHAGA ABRUPTELLA, WOLL, 
Tinea abruptella, Wollaston, A. M. N. H. (3) I, 120 (1858)(). 
Tinea bipartella, Rag., Bull. 8. E. Fr., 1892, 93(°). 
Trichophaga abruptella, Wlsm., P. Z. 8., 1907, 1020-1021 (1908)(3) ; Fletcher, 
Entl. Note 92 (1916)(4). 
Trichophagatapetzella, [nec Linn.], Fletcher, 8. Ind. Ins., p. 467, f. 343 (1914)(°), 
