1004 PEOCEEDINGS OF THE THIRD ENTOMOLOGICAL MEETING 



is their place of origin), and I have nearly 700 species ; moreover as 

 they are often small, obscurely coloured, retired in habit, •and difficult 

 to find in the imago state, it is probable that they will be largely increased 

 by careful rearing fi'om the larvae. The large genus GeJechia, however, 

 so numerous and omnipresent in Europe and North America, stops 

 abruptly on the confines of the Indian region, in the same curious jnanner 

 as the FhaloniadcB. Its place is taken by the more primitive genus 

 Brachmia, with its derivative Lecithocera and alUes. The larvae mostly 

 feed on low plants and shrubs, displaying an interesting variety of 

 habit ; few have yet been discovered. 



The Metachandidce are an interesting family specially characteristic 

 of the Mascarene region, of which a few stragglers extend into Africa 

 on one side and India on the other. I have about 15 Indian species ; 

 the larval habits are unknown. 



The Cosmopterygidce are usually small and slender-winged, and 

 readily escape notice, but under a lens are often very attractive ; the 

 species of Cosmoptenjx, decorated in black, orange, and metallic gold, 

 are hardly surpassed for elegance. About 120 species of the family 

 have been found. The larval habits are very various, but are usually 

 fixed for each genus. The larvae of Cosmopterijx mine blotches in leaves, 

 with a preference for Graminece. Other genera feed in .shoots, or on 

 seeds and dry refuse, or on scale-insects. Much work remains to be 

 done in this family, which is ofteii neglected. 



The OecophoridcB are principally represented by the Depressariad 

 group, though the large genus Depressaria itself follows exactly the 

 main lines of distribution of Gelechia, and stops short at the border. 

 The other three groups of the family are each represented by a few 

 species only. Altogether there are about 150 species. Amongst the 

 most curious and peculiar are the gigantic forms of Lactistica, which 

 are amongst the largest of the Tineina, :jyith extraordinarily elongated 

 posterior legs ; and the still larger Binsitta barrowi, whose pupa imitates 

 a snake's head. In several genera of this family the pupa is naked 

 and sits erect upon its tail, imitating a leaf or other object. The larvee 

 of Pseudodoxia feed in singular long acute cases on lichens ; those of the 

 elegant genus Macrobathra on leaves of Leguminosw, especially Acacia ; 

 other genera sometimes on dead leaves, or in decayed wood or bark. 



The Physoptilidce at present consist of a single peculiar species only. 



The Xylorijctidw resemble broad-winged Oecophoridcc, but in the 

 hindwings 6 and 7 are usually basally approximated or stalked,- the 

 antennal pecten invariably absent, and in the Stenomid group 7 and 8 

 of forewings are separate. They are generally of fair size, and the 



