pointed out,' compiled for us the most complete bibliography of the 

 group; Gueuee, who has furnished us with the best descriptions of 

 the species, and Lederer, who has given us the best definitions of 

 the genera. The work of Mr. Walker is excellent in its mechanical 

 construction, but worthless in its original matter. How exceed- 

 ingly Avorthless, after having worked through the descriptions in 

 the British Museum Lists, and examined the collection in the Brit- 

 ish Museum, I cannot find language to express. The work of M. 

 Guenee is most excellent where that of Mr. Walker is so defective, 

 and we have all studied with pleasure descriptions for the greatest 

 part so easy to identify. But when we come to study the structural 

 characters of the Noctuidae, it is evident that M. Guenee can no 

 longer help us, while Lederer has undoubtedly given us invaluable 

 information on this point. Dr. Packard has also written upon the 

 present group, and in particular we have an article in which the sys- 

 tematic position of the genus Eudryas is discussed. It seems to 

 us that Dr. Packard has followed Dr. Boisduval (and perhaps Dr. 

 Herrich-Schaefier), in referring Eudryas to the Castniares rather 

 than to the present group, and that the observations made upon the 

 genus in all its stages warrant his interpretation of its position. 

 And if we have studied carefully Dr. Packard's writings, with the 

 view of arriving at a proper understanding of the writer's mind, 

 we must have become satisfied that we can fully trust him in a 

 question like the present, which requires a delicate balancing of 

 affinities and analogies, and a wide acquaintance with the structure 

 of the Articulates. 



The three independent Groups here catalogued, viz., Bombyciae ^ 

 {Cpnatopho7'inae), Noctuae (Noctuelitae Latr.), and Noctuo-Pha- 

 laenidi, may be distinguished by structural characters. The Bom- 

 byciae and the Noctuelitae nearly agree in the position of vein 5 

 on the primaries, which has its origin nearer to 4 than to 6, Avhereas 

 in the Noctuo-Phalaenidi the position of this vein is midway be- 

 tween 4 and 6. These two groups further agree in the presence of 

 ocelli, which are wanting in the Noctuo-Phalaenidi and also in the 

 Geometrae. The Bombyciae, however, differ from the Noctuae by 

 the course of vein 7 of the hind wings, which springs from the 

 upper margin of the cell. These three Groups, to the exclusion of 



ITnms. Am. Ent. Soc. 2, p. 68. 2 See Harvey, Bui. Buf. Sco. Nat. Sci. 1, p. 276. 



