REVISION OF AUSTRALIAN LEPIDOPTERA. 

 By E. Meyrick, B.A., F.E.S. 



I. 



In the present paper I have classified and described the species 

 of five families of the Macro-Lepidoptera, my object being to 

 present them in such a form as might afford a ready means to 

 their identification and study. These five families — Sesiadae ; 

 Arctiadae, including the genera usually ranked as Arctiadae and 

 Lithosiadae ; Hyjosidae, including Hypsa, Nyctemera, and allies ; 

 Syntomididae ; Zygcenidae ; — are presented as separately defined 

 groups ; and I propose to omit for the present all question of the 

 relation of these groups to one another, or of their comprehension 

 under higher groups. Such descriptions of older authors as still 

 remain unidentified I have included in the form of an appendix 

 at the end of the whole, for convenience of reference ; but in 

 some instances identification seems impossible \ until identified, 

 they are not to be regarded as distinct species. In the present 

 instance I have also included the four species which alone 

 represent these groups in New Zealand, as they are allied to 

 Australian forms, and may be advantageously considered with 

 them. The information as to localities and habits is necessarily 

 very meagre, and I hope that it may now be supplemented. 



I am greatly indebted to Mr. Macleay, Dr. Lucas, and other 

 esteemed correspondents, for the means of examining and 

 describing many new species from their collections ; these will be 

 found acknowledged in their proper place. Without them my 

 paper would have been very imperfect, for I paid little attention to 

 these groups until lately, and now regret many past opportunities. 



I call attention to the fact that, according to the results of the 

 present paper, the following generic names do not represent 



