NOTES ON MASONIA EDWARDSELLA, A PSYCHID NEW TO SOIENOCE. 43 
hosts. On the other hand, their palpi are much swollen, and this for 
a time puzzled me greatly, until one day, describing the then new 
Termitomorpha meinerti, whilst painting the mouth-parts with hema- 
toxylin, preparatory to a microscopical examination, I suddenly noticed 
on the second palpal joint a strongly developed bundle of muscle, the 
contraction of which occasioned a quick and strong inward and out- 
ward movement of the club-shaped third joint. The biological mean- 
ing of these massive palpi then suddenly dawned upon me, and it was 
evident that these serve to summon the termite at feeding-time, the 
palpi, and not the antenne, being in these beetles the actual means of 
intercourse. 
The extraordinary formation of the antenne is, indeed, an adaptive 
character of the highest biological importance in many Myrmecophila, 
but the purpose served is not always the same. One form of antenna is 
similar to that of the Clavicornia and has for its purpose the furthering 
of hospitable intercourse. In certain Brazilian Hciton guests, which 
mimic their hosts, the antenne are quite similarly shaped to those of 
the ants (pl., fig. 4) and their evident purpose is to deceive the 
savage host as to the true nature of its guest. In the genus Paussus, 
which are true guests, the antenne are particularly formed for the 
purpose of transport by which the beetles can easily be moved from 
one place to another by their hosts without receiving any injury. The 
antenne subserve other purposes, in some cases they serve as a means 
of defence against the savage attacks of the host, e.g., the Myrmeco- 
philous Staphylinidae (Oxysoma and Xenocephalus) and Paussidae 
(Arthropterus), by deceiving them as to the real nature of the owner. 
(Lo be continued.) 
Notes on Masonia edwardsella, a Psychid new to science. 
By J. W. TUTT, F.E.S. 
MAsoNIA EDWARDSELLA, n. sp.—Imaco.—The specimens (4) are 
(though bred) none of them in fine condition, so that this description 
is probably defective. Anterior wings, 11mm. in expanse, antenne 
with 20 joints, the forewings rather square, and all the wings some- 
what thickly, but loosely scaled. The general aspect is that of F. 
casta, but slightly broader and shorter-winged, and the colour more 
yellow, less brown. In the best scaled specimen there is a shading 
towards the hind margin that does not appear to be the result of 
setting, or braces, and that approaches reticulation of the ‘ comitella 
type.’ The hind margins of the fore and hindwings have a border, 
half the width of fringe, which is darker than the rest of the wings, 
as is also in a less degree the fringe. This is not altogether the 
effect of the scaling here being more perfect. The hind tibie are straw- 
coloured (much lighter than in F’, casta), and the tibial spur is -68--72, 
and projects beyond the tibia in a curved extremity, as is common in 
many Psychinae. The median nervure is simple, 7 and 8 stalked. 
Casze.—The male case is very like those of J. crassiorella and M.. 
subjlavella, the central portion 1lmm. long, made of white silk, sur- 
rounded with a close cylinder of tightly packed slender pieces of plant. 
stems, with three or four longer and coarser pieces extending 2mm.- 
3mm. beyond the free end of the case; these certainly are not grass 
stems, but woody material, the fragments apparently very old and par- 
