INTRODUCTION cxlv 



Many of the endemic genera, that contain a single, or only a few species, are clearly 

 offshoots from other of the larger endemic genera, or as one might say, they are species 

 of these genera, which have diverged more widely in structure than the average. Such 

 are Sisyrop/iyta, Nesochlide, and Acrodi'epanis, derivatives of, or at least of the same 

 original ancestors as, Scotorythra, the formation of such genera having no doubt taken 

 place within the islands. Similar groups are Mestolobes, Promylaea, Oi'thomecyna and 

 Protaulacistis ; Thyrcopa, Catamempsis, Psychra, Ptycothrix and Hodegia, and others. 



While therefore the apodemic genera are usually very distinct or remote from one 

 another, the endemic are often closely allied to one another, in such a way as to form 

 aggregates of several allied genera, these aggregates being generally remote from one 

 another and more nearly corresponding to the apodemic genera than do the individual 

 genera composing them. 



These preliminary remarks will show the restricted nature of the indigenous 

 Lepidopterous fauna, and from how few original ancestral immigrants it might have 

 been derived. 



Caradrinidae. — There are five genera, three, Heliothis, Caradrina and Spodoptera, 

 containing only foreign species, and two, Agrotis and Leucania, with both endemic and 

 apodemic species. The two very widely distributed Agrotis, A. ypsilon and A. saiicia, 

 though they may have reached the islands by natural means, are equally likely to have 

 been imported in their earlier stages by man. This is also true of Leucania uni- 

 piincta. This latter and A. ypsilon both occurred to Blackburn during his residence in 

 the islands, but A. saucia is apparently a more recent introduction. In the winter 

 months it is often common in gardens in Honolulu, as well as being abundant in 

 mountain localities at other seasons, yet it would appear not to have reached the islands 

 up to the time of Blackburn's departure. 



Apart from all these foreign members, Agrotis has 26 and Leucania 8 endemic 

 species. Meyrick considers these endemic Agrotis as probably of American origin and 

 forming a group of allied species, but Hampson scatters them in five genera {^Feltia, 

 Epipsilia, Agrotis, Agrotiphila and Euxoa) these being themselves all of wide distri- 

 bution. Similarly the eight endemic Leucania are referred by Hampson to three genera, 

 Cirphis, Eriopygodes and Hyssia. Meyrick recognizes two " quite independent and 

 dissimilar groups," the first four species forming an endemic group of unknown origin, 

 while the others are allied to L. tmiputicta. It is the first of these two groups that 

 contains the species referred to Eriopygodes and Hyssia by Hampson. 



Heliothis armigera is no doubt a natural immigrant, as also are the two species of 

 Spodoptera, while Caradrina reclusa is a recent importation (first appearing in 1902 but 

 now fully established) and the other Caradrina (C. examinis) will also probably prove 

 to be foreign. 



Leucania euclidias is one of the most variable of Hawaiian moths ; some of these 



F. H. I. t 



