14 INSECTS AFFECTING VEGETABLES. 



which approach a dentate transverse white band extending from upper end of 

 the cell to the posterior margin, this band being continued across the hindwing 

 to near anal angle. Cilia with an interrupted brown inner line, alternated with 

 white on forewing, entirely white on hindwing, bands on abdomen white, collar, 

 front of head, base of palpi, and legs yellowish ; tip of palpi and bands on fore- 

 legs blackish. 



Expanse seven-tenths to nine-tenths inch. (Moore.) 



DISTRIBUTION. 



In Dr. Dyar's list the distribution accorded this species includes the 

 United States, South America, southern Europe, South Africa, and 

 Australia. There is also a record of this species occuring in India. 



Cramer's type was from Japan. Hampton states that its habitat 

 comprises "Neotropical and Ethiopian regions"; Pahearctic Asia 

 from Syria to Japan ; the whole oriential and Australian regions. 



In the United States National Museum this species is represented 

 by specimens from Key West, Fla. (Evermann) ; Miami, Fla. 

 (Barnes) ; Jamaica, Dallas County, Ala. (Trelease) ; and Port au 

 Prince, Haiti. To make this list more complete we should add Cali- 

 fornia and Hawaii, the islands of Madagascar, Bourbon (Reunion 

 Id. ) , and Mauritius. 



From the above it will be noted that this species is evidently of 

 tropical origin, that it has been well disseminated nearly around the 

 world, but that it is still confined to tropical, semitropical, and tem- 

 perate climates. In the United States it probably has a larger range 

 than above indicated. It at least ranges through the entire Gulf 

 region to California. 



HISTORY. 



As has previously been stated, the species was first described by 

 Pierre Cramer (1), who figured and described the moth, the descrip- 

 tion being in both French and Dutch, appearing in 1782. The type 

 specimen was from Japan. In 1884^1887 Moore (2) furnished a 

 technical description, with complete bibliography, which has been 

 transcribed in previous pages. Following this, in 1900, Mr. Edward 

 Barlow made mention of injuries by the larvae to Amaranthus man- 

 goxtanus, a pot herb in India, quoting Moore's synonymy and descrip- 

 tion. In 1907 Mr. W. W. Froggatt (6) stated that this little moth 

 was common about Sydney, Australia, and that the larvae were some- 

 times destructive to salt-brush hedges. Two years later (1909) Mr. 

 O. H. Swezey (7) stated that the larva was fed on Euxolus, portu- 

 laca, garden beet, coxcomb, other amarantaceous plants, and on 

 chenopodiaceous weeds. The same year Messrs. Lefroy and How- 

 lett (8) published a short note on this species, stating that the larva 

 attacked cultivated amaranthus, beet root, maize, and "other garden 

 plants." 



