1118 REVISION OF AUSTRALIAN LEPIDOPTERA, 



the Lepidoptera from the Triclwptera, and in the case of Tineina 

 the transitional steps are all preserved. It seems to me an 

 inevitable conclusion that the Bomhycina originate by a parallel 

 line of development through the Heinalidae from the same source; 

 but at present, so far as my material enables me to judge, the 

 transitional forms on both sides of the Hepialidae are missing, so 

 that the family stands isolated. In this respect the Australian 

 forms, though interesting; add nothing to our knowledge, and do 

 not help to diminish the gaps. 



The species are often extremely variable, and the descriptions 

 are therefore necessarily made loose. The larvae feed either in the 

 stems of trees and shrubs, or beneath the ground on roots. The 

 family is of universal distribution, but nowhere represented by 

 any large number of species ; probably the Australian species are 

 more numerous than those of any similar region. In New Zealand 

 there are nine species, all endemic, but belonging entirely to two 

 Australian genera, Porina and Hepialus. The following is a 

 tabulation of the eight Australian orenera. 



1. Forewings with vein 8 out of 10 2. 



Forewings with vein 8 not out of 10. 3. 



2. Forewings with vein 11 out of 10 1. Perissectis. 



Forewings with vein 11 separate 2. Porina. 



3. Forewings with veins 7 and 8 stalked 4. Hectomanes. 



Forewings with veins 7 and 8 not stalked 4. 



4. Antennae subclavate 3. Oncoptera. 



Antennae not subclavate 5. 



5. Antennae in ^ tripectinated 8. Trictena. 



Antennae in ^ not tripectinated 6. 



6. Antennae in (J unipectinated 7. Piehts. 



Antennae in ^ not unipectinated 7. 



7. Hindwings in ^ partially tufted with long 



rough hairs 6. Leto. 



Hindwings in $ not partially tufted with long 

 rough hairs 5. Hepialus. 



