LEPIDOPTERA OF NEW YORK AND NEIGHBORING STATES 



William T. M. Forbes 



The primary purpose of this memoir is to describe the kinds of Lepi- 

 doptera, or butterflies and moths, which occur in New York, and those 

 which, though they have not as yet been taken in the State, belong to 

 the same fauna, as many of these will sooner or later be found within 

 it. And a second purpose, of nearly equal if not of greater importance, 

 is to indicate, as briefly as practicable, the main facts in the life his- 

 tory of each. Though monographs of certain isolated groups are avail- 

 able, there is no work dealing comprehensively with the American 

 forms of this interesting and economically most important order. 



As a measure of economy, colored figures, bibliography, and ref- 

 erences are omitted. These appear unnecessary since W. J. Holland, 

 in The Moth Book 1 , provides colored figures of a large proportion of 

 our more conspicuous species; while Barnes and McDunnough have a 

 full bibliography nearly ready for the press, and Dyar's List 2 , already 

 published, furnishes a convenient index to the literature. 



Every part of this memoir has been made as concise as possible with- 

 out sacrifice of clearness. For this reason two types of keys are used. 

 The one in which the categories are indicated by successive indentation 

 is most convenient for quick reference, and is employed wherever prac- 

 ticable. In the case of very bulky keys, however, such as the keys 

 to the families, and the one to the species of Tortrieidas resembling 

 Eucosma, a more compact arrangement has proved necessary. Descrip- 

 tions of genera and species have been reduced to skeletons, in the man- 

 ner customary in zoological publications. Dimensions are given in 

 millimeters : this is the more convenient unit in the case of the small 

 forms; in the larger it is easily remembered that 25 millimeters equals 

 1 inch. Dates and distributions are approximate only, but as accurate 

 as can be given with the material at hand. 



As to nomenclature, the author has followed the tradition of usage 

 more closely than any particular code, though such rules of usage as 

 are almost universally accepted have been followed even to the upsetting 

 of a few familiar names. In any disputed case the more familiar name 

 is used. Other names which have gained currency are noted in paren- 

 theses. Names of varieties and races, so far as they appear to indicate 

 a real difference, are noted, the more important ones in separate, para- 

 graphs, though without a number, the less important by casual phrases 

 in the description of the species to which they belong. 



' Holland, W. J. The Moth Book, p. 1-479. 1903. 



' Dyar. Harrison G. A list of North American Lepidoptera and key to the literature of this order of 

 insects. United States]National Museum. Bui. 52: 1-723. 1902. 



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