Agaristidae 



The life-history of this species has been given by Dyar, i. 

 c., p. 258. The food-plants are Eugenia buxifolia, Eugenia pro- 

 cera, and Psidium pyrifera. The insect has a wide range in 

 tropical America, occurring from Florida to southern Brazil. 



Genus BERTHOLDIA Schaus 



A small neotropical genus represented in our fauna by one 

 species. 



(i) Bertholdia trigona Grote, Plate XIV, Fig. 2, $. 

 (Grote's Bertholdia.) 



The moth flies in Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and north- 

 ern Mexico. 



FAMILY AGARISTID/E 



"Ye lovers of marvel and fairy lore, 

 Say not that the days of enchantment are o'er, 

 That the well-springs of Fancy and Fable fail. 



There are streamlets yet where the river-sprite 



With his Harlequin changes bewilders the sight; 



There are castles yet of ivory and gold, 



Hung with floral fabrics by sunshine unroll'd, 



Within whose luxurious recesses recline 



Fays of exquisite form, quaffing exquisite wine; 



Some in gossamer veiled of ethereal dyes, 



Which have only their match in the rainbow'd skies; 



Some in richest and softest of velvets arrayed, 



Or in mail that does shame to the armourer's trade. 



These are haunting us ever for ill, or for good, 



Through earth and through air, field, forest, and flood: 



To transport our thoughts, as by magic spell, 



From the sordid objects whereon they dwell, 



To a land of the Marvellous dimly displayed, 



Where the light-winged Fancy, by wonder stayed, 



Still delighteth to hover, and joyously say: 



'Oh! my darling elves, ye're not chased away, 



There's a region still where ye have a place 



The mysterious world of the Insect race.'" 



ACHETA DOMESTICA. Episodes of Insect Life. 



The Agaristidas compose a family of moderate size. The 

 moths are day-flying in their habit, and in the tropics both 



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