HETEROCERA TORTRICIDAE 



427 



cocooB. The moth with wings expanded is about an inch across, 

 and is a lovely object. It is not rare, though seldom numerous. 



Fam. 44. Tortricidae. — Moths of small size, with a rather 

 ample wing area, with the wing-fringes never as long as the 

 wings are wide (long across), the hind wings without a pattern : 

 the anterior nervure on the hind wings is simply divergent from 

 that next to it, and the internal nervure, lb, is very evidently 

 forked at the base. The larvae inhabit their food, which may be 

 roUed up or twisted leaves, or the interior of fruits and herbs, or 

 galls, or even roots ; they exhibit less diversity than is usual in 

 other large series of moths ; all have the normal complement of 

 sixteen legs. This group is a very extensive one, but is much 

 neglected owing to the great difficulties attending its study ; 

 it is not recognised in Hampson's Table of families given on 

 p. 370, being there merged in Tineidae. It appears, however, 

 to be a really natural group, and it is not desirable to merge it 

 in the sufBciently enormous assemblage of the Tineidae till 

 this has been shown to be necessary by the light of a greater 

 knowledge of the external anatomy than we possess at present. 

 The terra Microlepidoptera is frequently met with in entomo- 

 logical literature, and should, we think, be confined to the two 

 series Tortricidae and Tineidae. The Pterophoridae, and even 

 the Pyralidae, have been, and still sometimes are, included under 

 this term, but at present it seems best to limit its application as 

 is here suggested. 



Three great divisions are at present recognised ; these were 

 formerly called by Meyrick,^ Tortricidae, Graph olithidae, Conchy- 

 lidae ; subsequently,^ he has adopted the names Tortricidae, 

 Epiblemidae, Phaloniadae. Lord Walsingham, who has devoted 

 a great deal of time and study to the elucidation of this most 

 difficult group, has suggested ^ that another change is desirable, 

 and if so the nomenclature will be: — 1. Tortricidae [or Tor- 

 ticinae, according to the view that may be taken as to the group 

 being family or sub-family] ; 2. Phaloniidae [ = the formerly 

 used name, Conchylidae] ; 3. Olethreutidae [ = the formerly used 

 name Grapholithinae = Epiblemidae, Meyr.]. We have upwards 

 of 300 species in Britain, nearly 200 of which belong to the 

 last division. The name Tortricidae refers to the habit the 



1 P. linn. Soc. iV. S. Wales (2), vi. 1881, p. 410. 

 " Handbook Brit. icp. 1895, p. 493. ' Tr. ent. Soc. London, 1895, p. 495. 



