REPORT OF THE SOCIETY 71 



THE COMMONER GRASS-MOTHS OF QUEBEC 

 Dr. J. A. Corcoran, S.J., Loyola Collej^e 



Within the last decade or so much interest has been aroused in the study 

 of American grass-moths. The pioneer work on the subject was published 

 in 189i by Dr. E. P. Felt, the present state entomologist of New York, and 

 was entitled "On Certain Grass- Eating Insects," an admirable entomolog- 

 ical thesis, in which the life histories and external anatomies of some twenty- 

 six species of Crambus are found. In 1896, Dr. C. H. Fernald's classic 

 appeared in the form of a monograph "The Crambidae of North America.'^ 

 In this work Dr. Fernald gives accurate descriptions and excellent coloured 

 plates of fifty-five species of Crambus and all the species of the other genera 

 of Crambidae which were known at his time. In more recent years Mr. 

 W. D. Kearfoot in the "Proc. of the U. S. Nat. Mus." Vol. XXXV, and other 

 entomologists in current publications, have described several new Crambids. 

 Indeed, Drs. Barnes and McDunnough, in their new "Check List," give the 

 names of sixty-eight Crambus and several species of allied genera which 

 are unknown to those not in touch with recent work on the Pyralidae. Mr. 

 A. F. Winn in his "Prelim. List" published live years ago by this Society, 

 records twenty-three Crambus, two Argyria, and one Thaumatopsis as the 

 species of Cambidae found in Quebec. Of this number, fourteen species 

 were taken last summer on the vacant lots around Loyola College, one 

 species, i.e., albellus, has not, I believe, been previously reported on the Island 

 of Montreal. 



General Characteristics 



There is little likelihood of confusing the grass-moths with the 

 other lepidoptera which frequent our pastures and meadows. Certain 

 traits and habits make them known to even the casual observer of insects. 

 What nature-lover has not seen a Crambus resting on a stalk of dried grass? 

 The fore-wings are closely rolled about the body meriting for the insect the' 

 popular name of Close-wings, and long palpi project prominently in front 

 of the head. The moths are small, the larger species have a body about hall 

 an inch in length and wings which spread perhaps an inch. The fore-wings 

 of a general white or brownish colour, often bear pretty markings of golden^ 

 silver, yellow, brown or even black while the hind wings are of an unbroken: 

 gray or white. Delicate fringes which are frequently coloured yellow or 

 golden, limit the outer margins of both wings and add much to the beauty of 

 an unrubbed Crambus. . 



