Orneodes, Ejjermenla, Chrysoconjs, and Pleroplwrus. 133 



having lost the maxillary palpi. It is, however, lower, in 

 one sense perhaps higher, in having carried the cha- 

 racteristic peculiarity of the stirps to an extreme point, 

 viz., the prothoracic plate is dwindled to so narrow a 

 quantity, that in many species (I cannot, of course, 

 answer for all) it is quite evanescent in the middle line. 



For these and for the following reasons also, I am 

 inclined to claim for Coleophora that it is derived from 

 Adelidfe by a line of descent pai'allel to (and of course 

 as long as) that of the Pyraloids, but quite separately 

 at least from a very low point. I am too ignorant to be 

 able to say that all intermediate representatives have been 

 lost, but they have not yet been recognised by me. The 

 other points of resemblance are especially that the some- 

 what unusual structure of the last segments of the pupa 

 of Coleoplwra is almost identical with that of Lamproni'a 

 and some other Adelids, of BucciiIatricV and other of the 

 lower forms. That it is a casebearer like AdeUdre is, 

 of course, not without its significance, though it would 

 not be difficult to believe this to be an independently 

 acquired habit. Another important point of resemblance 

 is in the ovipositing apparatus. 



No doubt these are structures given to great variation 

 and may differ exceedingly in closely related forms, but 

 when we consider the remarkable specialisation of this 

 apparatus in Adelids, and that this is practically lost in 

 the Pyraloids, it seems impossible to believe that almost 

 precisely the same apparatus would be again elaborated 

 for a purpose that would be served by a much sim2:)ler 

 structure equally well. 



In Mirro'ptenjx the dorsal plates of the ninth abdominal 

 segment form a cutting knife. In Inciirvaria the dorsal 

 plate of the eighth is partially modified for its support. In 

 all the other Adelidm I have examined, both dorsal plates 

 are extremely modified (as described by Dr. Wood, 

 Ent. M. M., vol. 27, p. 175), one as a knife and the other 

 as a support. In Coleophora the structure is almost pre- 

 cisely the same, except that the horny knives of the 

 Adelids, hard, sharp, and polished for cutting plant 

 tissues, are in Coleophora rounded and furnished with 

 tactile hairs, and are adapted for searching in inflorescence 

 and for a nidus for the eggs, but not for cutting. 



I may refer parenthetically to Gracllaria and Litho- 

 colletis, which have advanced to the stage of having the 



