232 



THE STUDY OF INSECTS. 



destructive to melons and other allied plants, destroying 

 both the foliage and the fruit. The moth is a superb 



FIG. ^.-Margaronia. hyalinata, larvae, cocoon, and adults. (From the Author's 

 Report for 1879.) 



creature, with glistening white wings bordered with black, 

 and with a spreading brush of long scales at the end of 

 the abdomen. 



Family PYRALIDID.E (Pyr-a-lid'i-dae). 

 The Typical Pyralids (Pyr'a-lids). 



The moths of this family are distinguished from other Pyr- 

 alids, except the next family, by the absence of a fringe of 

 hairs on the basal part of vein VII of the hind wings ; and 

 they are distinguished from that family by the fact that veins 

 III t and III, of the fore wings are united at base (Fig. 277). 

 It is one of the smaller of the families of Pyralids ; fifty-four 

 species are now enumerated in our lists. 



