

64 William T. M. Forbes 



1. MICROPTERYX Hiibner 

 (Eriocephala Curtis) 



Characters of the family. Fore wing with Rj simple. 



Our species belongs to the subgenus Epimartyria Walsingham, with R 4 and 

 R„ stalked. 



1. M. auricrinella Walsingham. Purple. Head with golden gloss; base of fore 

 wing with golden scaling; under side and hind wing mouse gray with purple 

 iridescence. 9 mm. 



The moth may be found in partly shaded, wet places in May, and is extremely 

 local. It is commoner northward. It is nearly invisible in flight and is most 

 often picked up in sweeping for Diptera. Its life history is unknown. This 

 may be a synonym of M. luteiceps Walker, described from Nova Scotia as a 

 slightly larger form (6 lines = 12 mm.). 



Distribution general in the northeastern States and Canada. New York: Mt. 

 Marcy (4000 feet). 



Family 2 ERIOORANIIDAE 



(Micropterygidae, in part) 



Head dorsally like that of the Micropterygidae, antenna filiform, with 

 sparse scaling on shaft; mandibles rudimentary, conical; maxillae with 

 long folded palpus, but with a short, spirally coiled tongue, and no 

 lacinia (fig. 37) ; basal joint of labium preserved. Fore wing (fig. 36) 

 with Sc shortly forked near tip, R x forked, accessory cell variable, R 5 

 running to apex, R 4 stalked, one radial sometimes absent. Anals 

 similar to those of the Micropterygidae, but with an additional vein 

 below the fork of 2d A (fig. 36). Jugum as in the Micropterygidae. 

 Hind wing similar to fore wing; Sc 1 rudimentary or absent, anal sys- 

 tem quite variable (the most complex arrangement known to me is 

 shown in figure 36). Frenulum rudimentary. Hind tibia normal, 

 hairy; middle tibia with a single spur. Abdomen of female terminat- 

 ing in a horny, piercing ovipositor, with powerful muscles (fig. 38). 



Egg ellipsoidal, soft, laid in the tissues of the leaf. Caterpillar of 

 leaf -miner type (fig. 39) with large head; flattened; body-setae much 

 reduced, but apparently with i and ii vertically placed on abdomen, 

 and ia and ib similarly on mesothorax and metathorax. Prolegs 

 rudimentary, apparently present on first eight segments of abdomen; 

 true legs absent. Ninth segment well developed. Head with mouth 

 pointing forward, with a single ocellus on dorsal surface. 



The caterpillar makes a roomy blotch mine, starting from a short, 

 linear one, in the hardly expanded young leaves of Amentiferae, which 

 are sometimes distorted in their further growth. It scatters its frass 

 loosely. It feeds quickly, in the spring, and then spins a tough cocoon 

 in the ground and summers and winters there, pupating in the spring. 



