Tineidce, and Pterophorida of South Africa. 253 



typical species for which Professor Zeller originally 

 founded the genus Cryptolechia. The acute apex of the 

 fore wings conspicuously distinguishes it from the great 

 majority of American species which have since been 

 included in this genus by Zeller himself, as well as by 

 other authors. It may be well to trace the history of 

 the genus, which will amply account for the somewhat 

 cumbrous proportions to which it has now attained. 



In 1852 (Handlingar Kong. Svensk. Vetens. Akad., 

 p. 106), in a paper entitled " Microptera Caffrariae," 

 Professor Zeller thus characterised the genus Crypto- 

 Icchia : 



"Char, essent. Alae latae, anteriores acutangidce. 

 Abdomen convexum, superne non marginatum, in mare 

 utrinque ciliatum, ciliis deflexis. Char, natural. Capilli 

 depressi, in occipite interdum suberecti. Ocelli nulli. 

 Antennae setaceae, alis anterioribus breviores, in mare 

 pubescentes, vel ciliatae. Palpi maxillares breves, tenues, 

 acuti, conniventes. Palpi labiales recurvi ; thorace 

 longiores articulo secundo compresso, subtus laxe 

 squamato vel piloso terminali setaceo, Isevigato, acuto. 

 Haustellum breve. Abdomen convexum, superne non 

 marginatum, pilis lateralibus in mare longioribus pen- 

 dulis marginem rentrcdem formantibus. Alae latae an- 

 tcrionim apex acutus, angulus dorsalis distinctus, sed 

 rotundatus ; posteriorum margo posticus ante apicem 

 convexus ante angulum analem non sinuatus." 



Subsequently, in the ' Linnaea Entomologica,' vol. ix., 

 pp. 353, 354, he re-characterised the genus Cryptolechia 

 thus : 



" Char, essent. Palpi longi reflexi corniformes. An- 

 tennae abdominis longitudine, $ ciliatae. Alae aut costa 

 prope basim convexa, posteriores latae costa, $ simplice, 

 margine postico ante apicem retuso breviter ciliatae. 

 Abdomen dorso carinato convexum. Char, naturalis. 

 Caput squamis decumbentibus, ocellis nullis, oculis 

 majusculis. Antennae abdominis longitudine vel 

 longiores, articulis confertis, $ ciliatae. Haustellum 

 mediocre, basi squamata. Palpi maxillares breves fili- 

 fornies conniventes. Palpi labiales, thorace longiores, 

 reflexi, niodice incrassati, articulo terminali setaceo 

 acuminato. Pedes mediocres, tibiae posticae in dorso 

 longius pilosae, calcaribus validis. Abdomine modice 

 longum, convexulum, dorso distincte carinatum, postice 

 planum ac subcoarctatum, fasciculo <? anali mediocri. 



