THANATOPSYCHE; PSYCHONOCTUA; THYRIDOPTERYX. By M. Gaede. 
1181 
9. Genus: Vhauatopsyclie Btlr. 
In the contours similar to Thyridopteryx. Veins 4 + 5 and 8 + 9 of forewing stalked. The two inner- 
marginal veins do not send a spur to the inner margin (as in the Chaliinae), except in apicalis limps. 
T. chilensis Philippi (169 c) is the oldest American species described from this family. Antennae strongly chilensis. 
pectinated, these as well as the body and legs jet-black, long-haired. Wings almost quite hyaline, only the 
veins deep-black. $ 30 mm. Chile. — The larval bag is about 62 mm long, 18 mm thick, strongest at 1 of its 
length, parchment-like. On fruit-trees, roses, arbor vitae. The larva seems to feed on the young bark. 
Th. canescerss Btlr. (169 d) is similar to chilensis , but smaller. Thorax thinly covered with grey hair, canvscens. 
Abdomen blackish; wings grey, diaphanous, veins and margins black. 22 mm. Chile. Larval bag very similar 
to that of chilensis. 
Th. thoracica Schs. Veins 4 and 5 arise separately on both wings. Thorax and base of abdomen brownish thoracica. 
ochreous, the rest greyish black. Wings brownish black. The cell of the hindwing is somewhat diaphanous 
46 mm. Described according to 1 from British Guiana. 
Th. apicalis limps. Body black, patagia with large white spots. Wings hyaline with a few black hairs, apicalis. 
the veins and margins black. Costal margin of forewing broader black in its exterior half. The inner-marginal 
area of the hindwing is black. 22 mm. Bahama Is. Three specimens are known. 
(Genus: Psyehonoctua Grt.) 
By this generic name the species personalis Grt. has been described as a Psychida. But as the two other 
species terrafirma Schs. and poam P)yar were placed to the Cossidae by their authors, we shall also deal with 
the genus there. In the catalogue of dalla Torre they are probably wrongly mentioned as Psychidae. 
10. Genus: Thyridopteryx Steph. 
Body strong, densely haired. Antennae short, strongly pectinated, with bare tips. Abdomen markedly 
projecting beyond the round hindwing. Wings hyaline. All the 12 veins of the forewdng are present, veins 3 
and 4 nearer together, 7 + 8 stalked. Veins 2—5 of hindwing equally separated. 6 absent, 7 and 8 more or 
less anastomosing. 
Th. ephemeraeformis Haw. (= coniferarum Pack., plumifera Steph.) (169 c). Though the neuration is ephemerae- 
of course normal in a great number of specimens of this common species, yet the variability is enormous. Ac- form, 
cording to Jones, the number of veins on the forewing may vary between 14 and 9, on the hindwing between 
8 and 5. Accordingly, the arrangement of the Psychidae by their neuration may be believed to be almost im¬ 
possible, if one considers that a similar variability might also occur in other species, if a sufficient number of 
specimens were available. Besides, however, some specimens of ephemeraeformis also show cross-bars and acces¬ 
sory cells — one might almost say in impossible places — so that one is reminded of quite different groups 
of insects. The confused schemes of veins published by Weyhenbergh *) for his species are even surpassed 
here. Antennae dark brown, body brownish black, w r ings hyaline. Costal margin of forewing narrowly blackish 
in its exterior part. Hindwing narrowly blackish at the costal margin, broader at the inner margin, the veins 
brown. 26 mm. New" York to Florida, Bahama Is. — The bag of the (J is 35— 45 mm long and 6 mm thick 
in the middle, besides the clothing with small pieces of wild cherry, willow, oak, conifers; the larva may even 
live on herbs. According to the plant on which the larva lives, the bags look rather different. Those of the 
$$ are about 60 mm long, 15 mm thick. The ^ does not leave the larval bag. As soon as the pupal case has 
burst, <$$ are allured, the abdomens of which are enormously stretched during the copulation. The only thing 
that is not variable in ephemeraeformis , is the appearance of the imago towards the end of summer and the 
hibernation of the eggs. 
Th. vernalis Jones (169 d) resembles the preceding species, but it differs in the time when it flies, verndlis. 
The larva hibernates, the imago appears in spring. In 2 of 5 specimens veins 4 + 5 of the hindwing are stalked, 
and veins 7 and 8 of the hindwing anastomose more or less. The hindwing is thereby more rounded than in 
ephemeraeformis. The collar is remarkably grey, and the tegulae are also somewhat mixed with grey. Other¬ 
wise the imago seems not to differ. 25 mm. Delaware to Georgia. — The larval bag is 38—50 mm long, 8 to 
11 mm thick, rather cylindrical, fastened to bark, spun outside with rests of bark and lichens, not with pieces 
of leaves. The shape of the bag is not covered by the small size of these parts as it is mostly the case in ephe¬ 
meraeformis. It lives on Pinus rigida and presumably also on other species of Pinus. 
Th. meadii H.-Ed w. Wings hyaline, without black scales at the inner margin of the hindwing. Veins meadii. 
pale orange. $ 25 mm. Mohave Desert (California). — The bag is smaller than in ephemeraeformis, cylindrical. 
* In Tijdschr. v. Ent, 27, t, 2, f. 7—9. 
