44 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OP 



through the Psychidae. But the slight similarity of the Caddice 

 flies, instance Neuronia fasciata, Say, to the Papilios the highest 

 type of Diurnals and a similar resemblance of Neuronia to cer- 

 tain existing Bombycids and Noctuids, seem to bring Phryganea 

 more closely to the Bombycidae. The resemblance of Phryganea in 

 habits to Psyche and Tinea, would, in face of previous evidence, 

 rank these forms as branches thereof. 



In a careful examination of our ordinary Neuronia fasciata, 

 Say, I find that the anterior wings, in their general contour and 

 venation, resemble the typical Neuropters ; while the posterior*, in 

 the same important characters, bear a decided approach to some 

 of our Zygaenidse. In general form there is some resemblance, 

 fancied or otherwise, to Hopffer's Gnophcela ; but a more decided 

 likeness to some existing forms of the genus Ctenucha is found to 

 exist. The contour of the first pair of alar appendages in the 

 genus Ctenucha is not essentially dissimilar to those of Neuronia, 

 although the variation may be slightly different. In Neuronia, 

 the external margins of the posterior wings, midway between the 

 apical margins and the commencement of the line of descent to 

 the abdomen, display a slight curvature inwardly, producing a 

 peculiar conformation. By examination of figured specimens of 

 Ctenucha, brunnea and ochroscapus more particularly, unmistak- 

 able evidences of these curves are found to exist. From Zygsenidse, 

 like these, together with Cosmosoma omphale, Hubner, it would 

 seem to require but little effort upon the part of "natural selection" 

 to reach from certain Caddice flies, through intermediate forms, 

 living or extinct, the JEgeridee. In this train of argument, I have 

 assumed the JEgeridee, from which the Hymenoptera have sprung, 

 to have descended from some form of Phryganea, through the 

 Zygaenidse and others, and to represent the terminus of one branch 

 of the wide spreading tree of Lepidopterous life ; and the Sphin- 

 gidse, through the Bombycidae, Noctuidae, and Phryganea, another. 

 That the Sphinges have descended from a Phryganea with 

 Bombycid-\ike characters is entertained for several important 

 reasons. The absence of intermediate t} r pes to the Tineids and 

 Sphinges in the rock-structure of the globe, as far as I have 

 been permitted to read it ; the great abundance of Neuropterous 

 life that inhabited the globe during the period when the Triassic 

 and Jurassic faunae flourished, from forms resembling our May 

 flies to the highest type of the order; the very close resemblances 



