l893-] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 5 



The Dioptidae is an interesting family, of which we have in our 

 fauna a single genus and species only, Phryganidia californica, 

 and I am not so certain but that this really belongs with some of the 

 exotic forms which I have seen. Based on our species the family 

 has large, somewhat thinly-scaled wings, the primaries with one, 

 secondaries with two internal veins. On both wings veins 3 and 

 4 are on a long stalk, separating toward the outer margin, and 5 

 is from the cross-vein, almost exactly at its middle. On the sec- 

 ondaries 6 and 7 are stalked, and on the primaries veins 7 to 10 

 are all from the same stalk. The antennae of the male are lengthily 

 pectinated, of the female simple, and the tongue is only moder- 

 ately developed. I am strongly inclined to refer the species very 

 near to the Lithosiidse, if not to them directly. In its larval his- 

 tory it is very like Euphanessa, especially in having a naked pupa 

 suspended by the tail, and in other features they are not dissimilar. 

 The genus is a rather aberrant one, was referred to the Psychidae 

 by Packard, to the Zygaenidae by Stretch, and to the Dioptidae by 

 Butler. It must not be taken as giving the characters of the 

 latter family, except in so far as Phryganidia is a member of it. 



The Notodontidae again contain a considerable number of 

 genera and species, and a considerable diversity of form and 

 habitus. As a rule the head is retracted, very small, the tongue 

 only moderately developed, or more usually entirely wanting; 

 the ocelli are wanting in the genera examined by me, and the 

 male antennae are lengthily pectinated, those of the female being 

 unusually short in some genera. The thorax is proportionately 

 short, while the abdomen is proportionately long in most in- 

 stances. These proportions of head, thorax and abdomen serve 

 to give the members of this family a distinctive appearance, 

 which, once recognized, makes placing the insect easy, at a 

 glance. The legs are usually clothed with long hair, and are 

 subequal in length, the posterior very little longer, unlike those 

 of the Noctuidse, where they are often double the length of the 

 others. The wings are of moderate or, proportionately, rather 

 large size, primaries with one, secondaries with two internal veins; 

 vein 5 of each wing from the cross-vein nearer to 6 than to 4, 

 There is quite a diversity in the appearance of the larva, and 

 some difference in habits of pupation. Some make an under- 

 ground cell, others spin a more or less dense cocoon and pupate 

 above ground. 



