BY R. .T. TILLYARD. 



275 



parent, the hairs on the veins very minute; surface of forewing 

 not a plane, Sc being sunk in a deep furrow, and R raised up on 

 a high ridge above it; M lying in a deep furrow, and Cuj raised 

 on a high ridge, which is partly continued by Mo. The same 

 ridges and furrows on the hindwing, but the ridge of Cu, 

 straighter, and not continued by Mg. Sc and R not fused dis- 

 tally. Three radial sectors in forewing, two arising close to 

 base, unbranched, a third arising a little distad from these, 

 running parallel to and under R, and giving off numerous 

 branches. In hindwing, only one radial sector, with numerous 

 branches. M branching into two at a level about one-third of 

 the wing-length in both wings Cu branching into two close up 

 to base in both wings. Numerous irregularly placed cross-veins 

 present. Costal area of forewing slightly enlarged, a recurrent 

 veinlet present, the other crossveins seldom forked. A coupling 

 apparatus well developed, but without a specialised frenulum on 

 the jugal process. A well-developed false origin to Rs in the 

 hindwing. 



I propose this new family for the reception of the very isolated 

 and peculiar, archaic, Australian genus Itlione, whose relation- 

 ships have long been a puzzle to entomologists. Two of the most 

 striking characteristics of this genus are (1) its resemblance, 

 when alive, both in general appearance and behaviour, to a 

 Hepialid moth, the mode of flight (especially when attracted to 

 a light), the resting position, and the form of the head and body 

 all contributing to heighten this similarity; and (2) its un- 

 deniable similarity to the SiaUdce, the family in which Walker 

 placed it. As the life-history is quite unknown, we cannot even 

 guess what the larva may be like; but, as will be seen below, I 

 have collected evidence tending to show that it may be aquatic 

 or semi-aquatic. The strong ridging of the wings along R and 

 Cu is most certainly a Sialoid character; and it must be confessed 

 that the term Planipennia is quite unsuited to the Order which 

 contains this genus. But a study of the venation will convince 

 us that Ithone belongs to the Neuroptera, s.str., and not to the 

 Megaloptera {Sialidce), since the arrangement of all the main 

 veins and their branches is typically Neuropterous, I should 



