L EPID OP TERA . 247 



ever, in that the second anal vein of the hind wings is not 

 forked towards the base (Fig. 296). 



The venation of the wings of the more generalized Tineids is quite 

 primitive in type ; there are two anal veins in the fore wings, three 

 anal veins in^the hind wings, and the base of vein V is preserved 

 throughout the length of the discal cell. But the more specialized 

 members of the superfamily present a wide departure from this gen- 

 eralized type. With these the base of vein V has disappeared from 

 both pairs of wings, and the venation of the hind wings is reduced to 

 a greater extent than is seen elsewhere in winged Lepidoptera. 



Correlated with this great reduction of the hind wings there has 

 been a great expansion of the fringe of the wing. It is evident that 

 the fringe of the wing takes the place of the wing-membrane as an 

 organ of flight. In those Tineids that we have studied carefully the 

 hairs composing the fringe are inserted in the lower side of the wing- 

 membrane a short distance back from the edge of the wing ; and the 

 edge of the wing 'is stiffened above by strong overlapping scales. 

 This arrangement renders the fringe rigid during the downward 

 stroke of the wing, but admits of its depression during the upward 

 stroke ; a combination well adapted to facilitate flight. The substi- 

 tution of wide fringes for the wing-membrane occurs in some other 

 minute insects, as Thrips and certain minute, parasitic Hymenop- 

 tera. 



To this superfamily belong the smallest of the Lepidop- 

 tera ; many of them are so minute that the larvae live until 

 full grown within the tissue of leaves. 



These tiny moths are often very beautiful, their wings 

 being marked with scales that shine like silver or gold ; but 

 they are so small that it is necessary to examine them with 

 a lens to appreciate their beauty. 



The larvae of nearly all Tineids feed upon vegetable 

 matter. The majority of them feed upon or within the 

 leaves of plants, but many live within nuts, or seeds, or dried 

 fruits ; a few feed upon dead animal matter, as woolens, 

 furs, and feathers; and some are predaceous, destroying 

 scale-bugs. 



Entomologists have a custom of terminating the name 

 of each species of Tineid with -ella. Thus we have Tinea 



