132 



BRITISH LEPIDOPTERA. 



Fumeids, as in the Taleporiids and Solenobiids, the female emerges and 

 awaits the male for copulation on the outside at the free end of the case, 

 and whilst the Taleporiids and Solenobiids lay their eggs in the larval 

 case, the Lumids and Fumeids deposit theirs in the empty pupal-skin, 

 all, however, covering their eggs with the wool from the anal tuft. 

 Even the species oiNarycia&ndDiiilodoma that lay their eggs outside, so 

 cover their eggs, but too few observations have been made with regard 

 to the genera with winged females to enable us to indulge in any 

 further generalisations. The habit of the Lumids and Fumeids, whose 

 females emerge from the case and yet lay their eggs in the empty 

 pupa- skin which is left within the case, shows that any attempt to 

 make an absolute line of division between the Micro- and Macro- 

 Psychid sections is likely to result in failure. 



Although not represented in Britain, the Lypusidae — containing the 

 genera Penestoglossa (Psilothrix) , Melasma, and Lypusa (Typhonia) — offer 

 many interesting features. In Lv/^^/.srtjBruanddeterminede^'rtrrf/f^Ochs., 

 as living in a case found on the higher mountains of theDoubs dept., and 

 further stated that7»^rt.s, Dup., lives in a similar manner. Milliere has 

 since worked out the life-histories of Lypusa (Typhonia) lugubris, 

 Melasma eiliaris, and Penestoglossa ( Psilothrix) dardouinella, and states 

 that the first-named goes through its metamorphoses distinctly in the 

 manner of a Psychid. He further states that M. ciliaris lives in a 

 tubular case carried in the manner of a Psychid, and that the larva of 

 Penestoglossa dardouinella has all the habits of a Psychid or Melasma. 

 These observations were of the greatest importance, for it provided 

 proof of the unsatisfactory nature of the evidence of Lederer and 

 Stentz, who reported that luyubrosella, Brd., fed after the manner of 

 the Sesiids in the Ullreichsdorf woods in Styria. It was probably due 

 to this report that Herrich-Schaffer separated the Lypusidae from the 

 Psychids, asserting at the time that the larvae did not live in cases, 

 after the manner of those of the latter group. It is quite possible 

 that some of the exotic genera at present placed among the Lypusidae 

 are Diplodomids, but the authorities give us but little help. Melasma 

 has ocelli, as Diplodoma and Taleporia. The winged exotic genera 

 that apparently belong to the Micro-Psychids are : — Europe : Penes- 

 toylossa, F. v. E. {Psilothrix, Wk.), Lypusa, Zell. Africa : Lasioe- 

 tena, Meyr., Eccompsoctena, Walsm., Mesopolia, Walsm., Compsoctena, 

 Zell. ( = Tiss-a, Walk., TJtapava, Walk., Galaria, Walk.), Gymnclema, 

 Heyl., Didactica, Walsm. India and Ceylon : Alavona, Walk. ( = Mela- 

 sma, teste Meyrick). America: Anaphora, Clem., Acrolopluts, Poey. 



The eggs of the Micro-Psychids are oval, sometimes inclining to 

 spherical, the micropylar axis being, however, usually longer than the 

 equatorial. They are pearly-white or pale yellow in colour, the shells 

 apparently quite smooth and transparent. The apterous females lay 

 their eggs within the larval case, the winged females outside, but the 

 hairs from the anal tuft are always mixed with them. As soon as the 

 young larvae appear they form a case in which they dwell. The cases 

 are usually covered outside with minute particles of sand, dirt, 

 vegetable debris, &c, but so fine that the outer surface generally looks 

 moderately smooth to the naked eye. The larva, taken from their cases, 

 do not hold their abdominal segments high in the air, as in the Macro- 

 Psychids, but attempt to crawl with their prolegs, which, however, are 

 so short and unsuited for the purpose that they practically fail, 



