8 
cahiritella, and that the specimens sent were more mixed with reddish 
than is usual. 
• This moth was first described by Zeller in 1867 from two examples 
from Cairo, Egypt, whence the specific name cahiritella. It was subse- 
quently redescribed by Mr. C. G. Barrett, who called it passulella from 
its occurence in the so-called Corinthian raisins or currants ("Passulce 
corinthiacce"). To distinguish it from other species that infest dried 
fruits, it may be called after Barrett's Latin name, the dried-currant 
moth. 
The moth luoks suspiciously like Epliestia huehniella, as also elutella, 
as will be noticed by reference to the illustration (fig. 1, a), being 
of a similar gray color, but may be readily distinguished from the 
former by the strong subdorsal line of the cilia of the hind-wings. The 
markings of the fore- wings are much more suffused than in the other 
two species and tbe line across the basal third is whitish, nearly straight, 
and bordered by a promi- 
nent dark, suffused band. 
In the others this line is 
irregularly dentate, or 
zigzag. The wing ex- 
panse is 14 to 20 mm. 
The larva, shown at c, 
also resembles that of 
the flour moth, exhibit- 
ing the same color varia- 
tions, the ground hues 
ranging from dirty whit- 
ish to gray or yellowish, 
but with the flesh tints so 
arranged along the dor- 
sum as to produce, with the piliferous warts which are larger and darker 
th&n in kuehniell a , a distinctly striated appearance not seen in the latter 
species. 
In October, 1895, a lot of flaxseed meal was received from Mr. H. G. 
Wolfgang, of Calla, Ohio, that was badly infested with the larva of this 
insect, and during the winter months English walnuts and figs obtained 
of various local merchants and street venders in different parts of the 
city were also found affected by it. During June, 1896, the chemist of 
the Department transmitted specimens of the larvae in a sample of 
pearl hominy purchased in open market in this city. It contained two 
larvae spun up in the same manner as is the custom with JEphestia lueh- 
niella, the cocoon thus formed looking much like that of the flour moth. 
June 6 the first moth issued, and at about the same time larvae were 
discovered at work in an open bottle of corn meal standing on my office 
desk. The meal had been used for observations on other insects and 
it had not been necessary to keep it covered. I then recollected having 
seen in this bottle of meal a moth of this species which had escaped 
Fig. l.—Ephestia cahiritella: a, adult moth ; b, venation of -wings ; 
c, larva — enlarged about twice ; d, eggs, more enlarged (orig- 
inal). 
