18G2.] 175 



It may be advisable, perhaps, to indicate the mode of using the follow- 

 ing table, in order to ascertain the family to which an insect may belong, 

 that one wishes to classify, or to ascertain whether it has been described. 



It will be noticed that for each affirmative catagory there is a corres- 

 ponding negative catagory, and, as far as my knowledge extends, each of 

 them are absolute. Thus, the first includes all Heterocerous lepidoptera 

 whose " Wings are not penniform or fissured ;" and an insect correspond- 

 ing to this will be found in its family group some place under this heading. 

 If, on the contrary, the wings of the insect are fissured, it will be found 

 under the second principal catagory, printed in the same kind of type as 

 the first, viz. : those whose " Wings are penniform or fissured.'' 



If the specimen belongs to the first catagory, the student will notice 

 whether the hind wings are supplied with a "bristle," or not; if it is 

 absent, the specimen belongs to a family included under the second cata- 

 gory. He will then observe whether the wing structure in both the fore 

 and hind wings is alike; if it is, and the specific diagnosis below this 

 catagory corresponds to his specimen, it belongs to the family Epialidge. 



If the wing structure is not alike in the fore and hind wings of the 

 specimen, then its family must be sought under the catagory marked * *. 

 If this has not a " co^al vein" in the hind wings, it is included in the 

 division marked §; but if it has a " costal vein," then under the next 

 affirmative catagory referring to the same structure. This latter catagory 

 is again subdivided into two others, insects " ^^^ith an intercostal celV and 

 " Without an intercostal cell,^'' and the latter is again subdivided into 

 groups according to the peculiarities of the " internal vein.'''' 



The specimen, however, probably is supplied with a " bristle" at the 

 base of the costa of the hind wings, and in this case the student will pass 

 without further examination of the catagories included in the second one, 

 to the corresponding affirmative catagory, printed in the same kind of 

 type as the second, viz. : insects " with a bristle at the base of the hind 

 wings." 



If the wings are " without long cilia," the specimen will be found under 

 the next head ; but if, on the contrary, the wings have " long cilia," all 

 the matter included under the negative catagory may be passed over until 

 the corresponding affirmative one is reached, under which will be found 

 the family to which the specimen belongs. 



To assist the student in discovering the various affirmative and negative 

 catagories, those which have reference to the same structural peculiarities 

 are printed in some distinctive type, and the different catagories separated 

 by spaces. He should confine himself to these, until some one is found 



