no. i. BOMBYCINE MOTHS OF NORTH AMERICA— PACKARD. 151 



the posterior fifth of the plate. Spiracles black. Directly below the spiracles are two to three 

 conspicuous black spots, forming a broken lateral line of such spots. Another more connected 

 line of irregular black spots, along the base of the legs, both thoracic and abdominal. Thoracic 

 legs reddish, abdominal legs concolorous with the body. Anal legs pale, very hairy on hinder 

 edges. 



The larval characters of this genus show that it is a Hemileucid, but the tuberc.es are 

 either primitive or reduced, at least much modified compared with those of the American genera. 



[Larva received] from J. M. Fawcett. 



Family SATURNIID^ Walker. 



Attaci (Phalxna), in part, Linn., Syst. Nat., vol. 5, p. 2400, 1767. 



Larvx verticillatx, in part, Denis and Schiff, W. V., p. 49, 1776. 



Bombycites Legitimx, pt., Latr., Gen. Crust, et Ins., IV, p. 217, 1809. 



Bombycidx (Stirps II Verticillata), part, Horsfield, Cat. Lep. Mus. E. I. Co., pp. 24, 27 [1828?]. 



Bombycidx Stephens, part, 111. Brit. Ins., Haust., II, p. 35, 1829. 



Bombycida Duncan, pt., in Brewster, Edin. Eneyel., IX, p. 131, 1830. 



Phalxnx et Phalxnites, Newm., Sph. Vesp., p. 45, 1832. 



Saturnidcs Boisduval, Ind. Meth., p. 73, 1840. 



Attacites Blanchard, Hist. Nat. des. Ins., II, p. 361, 1845. 



Attacidi Stephens, Cat. Br. Lep. Br. Mus., p. 44, 1850. 



Saturnidx Walker, List. Lep. Het. Br. Mus., pt. V, p. 1198, 1855. 



Saturniina Herrich-Schaeffer, Lep. Exot. Sp., p. 60, 1858. 



[The following discussion was published in Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts and Sciences (n. s.) 

 XX (1893), pp. 55-5S:] 



The larval characters of the members of this interesting group, especially those features which are congenital, 

 tend to show that the family has originated from some spiny group, and most probably, when we take into account 

 the transformations of Aglia tau, from the Ceratocampidse, although none of the latter spin a cocoon. During the 

 evolution of the group they underwent a change in shape, from a rather long and slender form to a thick heavy body, 

 with a thin integument, the result perhaps of an unusually stationary mode of life. The imagines also underwent a 

 process of degeneration, as seen in the atrophy, total or partial, of the maxilla?, and in the loss of veins in their very 

 large but weak wings; though the loss of strength of flight is somewhat compensated for by the remarkable develop- 

 ment of the olfactory organs, or antennae. 



This family also appears to be a closed type, viz, none of the higher or more specialized Bombyces appear to have 

 descended from it (unless possibly the Cochliopodidae), the type representing a side branch of the Bombycine tree 

 which late in geological history grew apart, and reached a marked degree of modification, resulting in the possession 

 of adaptive characters which were not transmitted to later forms. It seems probable that the type was a Miocene 

 Tertiary one, which has lingered on in eastern America (north and south), and in eastern Asia, as well as in Africa, 

 while it has become nearly extinct on the Pacific shores of North and South America, and in Europe. 



Satumia (in its restricted sense) the most generalized genus of its family. — In the European Saturnia carpini and its 

 allies, and our Pacific coast species, Saturnia mendocino and S. galbina, the larva of the former species having been 

 described by the late Henry Edwards (Proc. Cal. Acad. Sci., Dec. 17, 1877), we have perhaps the most generalized 

 and primitive members of the family. In the larva of Saturinia carpini, for a specimen of which I am indebted to 

 M. P. Chretien, of Paris, the setiferous tubercles are of the same size and shape on the abdominal as on the thoracic 

 segments, there being no differentiation in shape and size or color, such as occurs in all the other genera, except that 

 the second and third thoracic dorsal tubercles bear one or two bristles much longer than those on abdominal segments 

 1 to 7, and about as long as those on the eighth abdominal segment. There are six tubercles on this (eighth) segment, 

 being the same number as on the seven segments in front; on segment 9 there are four tubercles, and two on the tenth 

 segment, i. e., the suranal plate. The same number of tubercles on the eighth abdominal segment also occurs in 

 Saturnia mendocino ' of California. Likewise the same number is present in the European S. pyri, judging by the figure 

 and description in Duponchel et Guenee's Iconographie (II, PI. I), and the statement, "On ne compte que quatre 

 tubercules sur le premier anneau, de meme que sur le dernier, tandis que les interin&liaires en ont chacun six." It 

 is also figured in Hiibner's Schmetterlinge. 



1 We copy Mr. Edwards's description of this larva, to show that the same characteristic of .fix tubercles on all the abdominal segments ). to 8 

 occurs in the Pacific coast species of the genus: " Full grown. Head small, rough, purplish brown, somewhat withdrawn into the second segment. 

 Ground color of the body, pale yellowish green. On the second and anal segments are four tubercles each, bright orange-red, with black hairs 

 springing from them, and on each of the other segments are six similar tubercles, those of the anterior four being the largest. Head and body 

 thickly clothed with whitish hair. Laterally thero is a pale yellowish fold above the spiracles, which are orange with a darker ring. Feet and 

 underside purplish brown. Length 2.25 inches. Food plant, Arctostaphylos tomenlosa." 



