SECRETARY'S REPORT. 1(53 



apparently moving along without cause, but closer examination 

 will discover a small, brownish head, and six legs, at one end, 

 which are quickly retracted on being touched ; these are the 

 habitations of the larvae, which feed mostly on aquatic plants, 

 occasionally on weaker insects, and can scarcely be classed as 

 beneficial species, although deserving mention on account of 

 their peculiar habits and great variety of species. Before 

 transforming to pupa), they are said to close the mouth of the 

 cell with a grating, which while it allows sufficient water to 

 pass for the respiration of the insects, prevents the entrance of 

 their enemies. The imagines of these singular creatures are 

 commonly called " caddice-fiies " or " water moths," and very 

 closely do they resemble in general appearance some species 

 of moths ; their antennae are long, and slender, their wings 

 folding over and longer than the body when at rest, and of dull 

 colors, while they take but little if any food in the perfect state, 

 their mouths being weak and ineffective. They are, however, 

 covered with hairs, instead of scales like the moths, and were 

 on that account placed by some authors in the Order Trich- 

 optera^ or hairy-winged insects. 



Neurdnia semifascidta of Say, 

 (figure 39, Harr.,^ or the half 

 banded caddice-fly is one of our 

 larger and most common species. 

 It is of a tawny hue, antennae ringed 

 with fuscous ; head fuscous; anterior 

 wings streaked with fuscous, having Fig-39. 



a small spot near the base, and a short transverse streak about 

 the middle of the hind margin of the same color ; frequently 

 also a similar streak from the anterior margin near the apex, 

 dilating about the middle of the wing and enclosing one or 

 two white points, a larger white dot midway between these, 

 and the base ; posterior wings tawny, without fuscous spots, 

 excepting occasionally a few faint ones upon the apex, and a 

 short elbowed fuscous band a little before the apex, not reaching 

 either margin. It measures from head to tip of wings one 

 inch or less, expands from one and six-tenths to two inches. 

 There are an infinite number of species of this family, which 

 are found in this State, but as they exert so little influence on 

 the cause of agriculture, we shall not enlarge upon them here. 



