ThyrididJB 



FAMILY THYRIDIDjE 



" And yet I will exercise your promised patience by saying a little of the 

 Caterpillar, or the Palmer-fly or worm, that by them you may guess what a work it 

 were in a discourse but to run over those very many flies, worms, and little living 

 creatures with which the sun and summer adorn and beautify the river-banks and 

 meadows, both for the recreation and contemplation of us Anglers : pleasures which, 

 I think, myself enjoy more than any other man that is not of my profession." 



IZAAK WALTON. The Compleat Angler, Chap. V, Pt. I 



The Thyrididce are a small family of moths revealing decided 

 affinity to the Pyralidce. They have been characterized as follows 

 by Hampson, "Moths of India," Vol. I, p. 352: "Moths generally 

 with hyaline patches and striae on the wings. Palpi obliquely 

 upturned and slender. Antennae almost simple. Fore wing 

 with vein \a forming a fork with \b at base; \c absent; 5 from 

 near lower angle of cell. Hind wing with two internal veins; 

 vein 8 nearly touching vein 7 just before or after the end of 

 the cell. Mid tibia with one pair of spurs; hind tibia with two 

 pairs. 



Larva pyraliform, with five pairs of legs." 



Six genera are attributed to this family in the last list of the 

 species found within the United States which has been pub- 

 lished. Of four of these we give illustrations. 



Genus THYRIS Laspeyres 



(1) Thyris maculata Harris, Plate XL VI I, Fig. 30, 8 . 

 (The Spotted Thyris.) 



Syn. perspicua Walker. 



The moth is a native of the Eastern States. It is not common. 



(2) Thyris lugubris Boisduval, Plate XLVII, Fig. 31, $. 

 (The Mournful Thyris.) 



Syn. sepulckralis Boisduval ; nevadce Oberthur. 



The range of the species is coincident with that of its only 

 other congener in the United States. 



Genus DYSODIA Clemens 



(i) Dysodia oculatana Clemens, Plate III, Fig. 10, $. (The 

 Eyed Dysodia.) 



374 



