Vol. XXX] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. IO9 



doubted whether in a genus such as Colcophora, where the 

 species require such careful discrimination, Chambers' types 

 always represent the actual species described. Only where the 

 type is in the best condition of preservation, could most species 

 be determined with certainty. It is not, therefore, in my opin- 

 ion, advisable to withhold from publication descriptions of 

 species whose life history is known, because the certainty of 

 future easy determination of such species will far outweigh 

 any disadvantage occasioned by the possible creation of 

 synonyms. 



Coleophora apicella n. sp. 



Head shining brassy ; palpi simple ; basal four-fifths of the antennae 

 black slightly thickened with scale's, apical fifth silvery white, with 

 each segment marked beneath with a minute black spot. Thorax 

 brassy. Fore wings lustrous brassy at the extreme base, shading out- 

 wardly into reddish bronze or deep blue according to the light. Hind 

 wings, legs and abdomen dark brown, with a slight brassy lustre. 

 Expanse: 9.5-1 1 mm. 



Locality. Cincinnati, Ohio. Type ( $ ) and paratypes (two 

 males, seven females) in the writer's collection. 



The larval cases are found on the lower side of the rosette 

 leaves of the fire pink {Silenc virginica L.). The summer case, 

 which is spun entirely of grayish silk, is cyhndrical, three- 

 valved at apex, with mouth scarcely or not at all deflexed. 

 This case is gradually enlarged during the summer, but retains 

 its general shape until the following spring, when the larva 

 resumes feeding on the overwintering leaves. In the forma- 

 tion of the mature case, the overwintering case is split open 

 and may be distinguished as a darker gray patch occupying 

 about one-half the dorsal surface of the completed case. The 

 mature case is cylindrical, 7 to 9 mm. long, with slightly de- 

 flexed mouth, the silk between the mouth and the old part of 

 the case roughened and wrinkled transversely ; it tapers some- 

 what posteriorly, flaring again to form the conspicuously three- 

 valved apex. The larvae feed until about the middle of May ; 

 imagos, May 31 to June 10. 



The moth is distinguished from the other bronzy metallic 

 species by the silvery apical fifth of the antennae. 



