Lepidoptera op New York and Neighboring States 115 



superpamily TINEOIDEA (restricted) 



The Tineoidea, as represented by the typical Tineidas, are hardly 

 distinguished from the Adeloidea, save by the general loss of aculese on 

 the wing surface. In a few genera, as in Solenobia and Opostega, a 

 few aculese are still to be found about the base of the cell and along 

 the veins. I think I have also seen a few in Tischeria and Setomorpha, 

 but they are not present on the general wing surface. Another rather gen- 

 eral character for the genera of this series, which are otherwise closest 

 to the Incurvarioidea, is that the antenna is regularly provided with 

 two whorls of scales to a segment, one whorl being of sharply outstand- 

 ing scales, thus making the antenna rough and annulate (figs. 87 to 89). 

 This character holds in Tinea and the genera reduced from it, but fails 

 in most of the aberrant forms, in which the scaling is smooth and some- 

 times in more than two rows (Acrolophus, Psychidse). The more prim- 

 itive forms of Tineoidea are often case-bearers, but the lenticular 

 case typical of the Adeloids is rare. 



The moths of the Tineoidea have the vestiture of the vertex vari- 

 able, though always rough in the lower forms; and there is no naked 

 area above the eye. The eyes are often small. The ocelli are variable. 

 and, when present, are as a rule near the edge of the eye. The tongue, 

 when present, is scaled at the base. The labial palpi typically are 

 long and folded, but often reduced, or lost. In the Gracilariidas, which 

 may not really belong of this superfamily, they are porrect. The 

 primitive forms have a complete primitive venation (fig. 19), the base 

 of 1st A fading out ; in higher forms, it is much reduced. In the hind 

 wing, R, as a rule, is closely parallel to Sc at the base, and they are 

 connected by a cross vein, (RJ a short distance from the base. The 

 cross vein and the base of R often faded out together, but the cross 

 vein is never preserved when Rs is weak, as in the Incurvariidas. The 

 Lyonetiidse are an exception. The venation is sometimes extremely 

 reduced, but 1st A is preserved as long as 2d A. The female has no 

 piercing ovipositor. 



The eggs are of the flat type. The pupa is incomplete. In the 

 larva, seta? iv and v are usually widely separated (figs. 91, 92) as in 

 the Noctuidas,. but there are three setae on the prespiracular wart. 



The Tineoidea and the next four superfamilies have been somewhat 

 tentatively delimited and are not sharply defined, but the groupings 

 here made will roughly indicate the relationships of the families. This 

 superfamily, with the next three and the Incurvarioidea, forms the 

 Tineid series as usually understood. 



The Psychidee have been widely separated by most workers, but there 

 is little besides the egg-laying habit to distinguish them from the true 

 Tineidae; some have winged females (as in the case of Kearfottia, in 



