BV A. JEFFERIS TUEXEIt. 4lO 



The absc'Ui-i' of a ttmgm', thf aiiproxiiiuitidn of the origin of the second 

 branch of the median (vein 5) to the cubitus, and the connection of the sub- 

 costal of the hindwing with the cell about its middle, are sufficient to distinguish 

 this family. In all these respects except the first it agrees with the Hypsidae. 

 Its next nearest ally is the Noctuidae, the distinguishing point, apart from tlie 

 presence of a tongue, being that in the latter the subcostal anastomoses with the 

 cell in the hindwing near its base. This basal anastomosis is present in the 

 genus aptly named by Mcyrick Haplopseiistix (for it is an evident deceiver), as to 

 whose correct position there has been some difference of opinion. Tlie presence 

 of a tongue, although short and weakly developed, confirms the conclusion that 

 Haplopseustis belongs to the Noctuidae; for, although the presence of a tong-no 

 in a primitive gemis of Liparidae would be a not impossible disco\-ery, the vena- 

 tion of the forewing of Haplopseustis shows that it is not piimiti\e. Tlie con- 

 nection between the hindwing cell and subcostal in this and other families is 

 really due to the persistence of the first branch of the radial, wliicli has been 

 shortened by their approximation. Sometimes the \eiii is not distinctly de- 

 veloped between the approximated points, or there may be an actual anastomosis 

 as in Aeyplias. In the more primitive genera a typical areole is present as in 

 most Xoetuidae. In many cases this has been lost by coalescence, leaving 7, 8, 

 9, 10 stalked, an intermediate condition being preserved in the African genus 

 Lacipa, which has a small areole from which proceeds the common stalk of 

 these veins. But the areole may also be lost by the obsolescence of the 

 base of vein 9, lea^-ing 10 disconnected, as sometimes occurs in Iropoca. In 

 Bedoa the areole becomes long and narrow, the allied Leucoma from Europe and 

 Eii-om differ from this in 10 having become disconnected. There is a tendency 

 in this family for the obsolescence of the wings in the 2; this occurs in three of 

 our genera (f^iiiinh". Orgyia. Iropoca). 



The family is a fairly large one, and in Australia there are 60 species, which I 

 refer to 18 genera. This is a larger number of species than is found in the Palae- 

 aretic region, and in the Nearctic region the family is still more poorly repre- 

 sented. On the other hand Hampson's Moths of India contains a larger number, 

 and Janse's check-list of the Moths of Soutli Africa records twice as many spe- 

 cies. The group is most developed in warm regions, and most of our species 

 are from the coasts of North Australia, Queensland and New South Wales. 

 Only seven species (Porthesia, Oligeria, Aeyplias, Orgyia) come from South-east 

 Australia, and onlv two (Aeyplias, Orgyia) come from the South-west of the con- 

 tinent. Our genera may be divided into three or four natural groups:— 



1. Those witli a normal areole, Laelia. Dasychira, Olene. Orgyia, widely dis- 

 tributed genera, which are very scantily rejiresented here, together with the inono- 

 typical Iropoca and Axiologa. 



2. A small gi-oup in which the areole tends to obsolescence, first by becomina- 

 long and narrow as in Bedoa, and then by 10 becoming disconnected as in Eazora 

 and in the exotic genus Leucoma. Of this we have only two species. 



3. A much larser group in which the areole has disappeared liy coalescence, 

 leaving 7. 8, 9, 10 stalked. This may be divided into (a) the Lymaiitria group, 

 containing also Eiiome and Dura, and (h) the Euproctis gi-oup containing also 

 Heracula, Habrophylla, Aeyplias, Oligeria. Porthesia, and Icta . This last is the 

 only group at all largely represented in Australia, where it comprises three- 

 fifths of the whole number of species. 



