( l-^'^ ) VI. On the Hydroptilida^, a Family of the Ti-iclioptera. By the Rev. A. E. Eaton, M.A. [Read 3rd February, 1873.] Trichoptera in general, but more es}3ecially tlie Hydropti-lid(E, are an annoyance to the Lepidopterist. If he Kves near a river they are a constant source of disappointment to him Avhenever, on a summer evening, he inspects the ento-mological miscellany Avhich accumulates upon his table-cloth beneath the gaslight. Down falls a scorched and crippled " Micro — " ; he has the trouble of looking at it ; but his first glance detects the scabrous clothing of the anterior wings of a Micro-Trichopteron, whose hair looks as if it had been brushed the wrong way, in lieu of the scales of a Micro-Le]Hdopteron ; and his only consolation is that he may leave the pinning of that kind of things to the Trichopterists. A great similarity of ornamentation prevails amongst congeneric species of the HydroptilidcB ; and the density of their hair prevents structures of dried specimens from being made out with certainty, besides concealing the neuration of the wings completely. Consequently most entomologists have been deterred from the study of this family of insects, and little is known about them. Up to the present time only two genera have been defined, and fourteen or fifteen species. Of these one species is fossil, seven or eight are European, and the rest are from Ma-deira, North America, Ceylon and New Zealand. In addition to these I have been able to determine four genera and six species, of which species five are British. Mr. M'Lachlan most kindly sent all of his specimens o^ HydroptilidcB to me, Avith ]5ermission to subject them to most ruthless treatment. This has enabled me to effect some reductions in synonymy, and to verify some points in their geographical distribution. I have also examined Stephens' and Wollaston's collections in the British Museum. TRANS. EXT. SOC. 1873. — PAET II. (mAY.)
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