238 
THE STUDY OF INSECTS . 
dinal fissures into more or less plume-like divisions. In 
most species the fore wing is separated into two parts, by 
a fissure extending about one half the length of the wing; 
while the hind wing is divided into three parts by fissures 
extending farther towards the base of the wing. Sixty 
species belonging to the family have been found in North 
America. 
One of our most common species is the Gartered Plume, 
Oxyptilusperiscelidactyhis (Ox-yp'ti-lus per-is-cel-i-dac'ty-lus). 
This is a small moth, expanding about seven 
tenths of an inch. It is of a yellowish brown 
color marked with dull whitish streaks and 
spots (Fig. 284). The larvre hatch early in the 
spring, and feed upon the newly-expanded 
leaves of grape. They fasten together 
several of them, usually those at the end of a shoot, with 
fine white silk; between the leaves thus folded the cater¬ 
pillars live either singly or two or three together. They 
become full grown and change to pupae early in June. 
The pupa is not enclosed in a cocoon, but is fastened 
Fig. 284 —Oxyptilus 
Peri seel idactylus. 
to 
the lower side of a leaf by its tail by means of a few silken 
threads, in nearly the same way that the chrysalids of certain 
butterflies are suspended. The pupa state lasts about eight 
days. 
Family ORNEODIM: (Or-ne-od'i-dm). 
Fig. 285 . — Orneodes 
hexadactyla. 
The Ma 7 iy-pliime Moths. 
These insects resemble the Plume 
Moths in having the wings fissured; 
but here the fissuring is carried to a 
much greater extent than in that fam- 
ily, each wing being divided into six 
plumes (Fig. 285). 
As yet only a single species of this 
family has been found in North Amer¬ 
ica. 1 his is Orneodes hexadactyla (Or- 
ne-o'des hex-a-dac'ty-la). 
