82 MEMOIRS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



Sphinges, witli their peculiar swift, powerful iiiglit, met witli success in life much* beyond that of 

 the Ceratocampidic, from which they probably origiuated. 



We have, from time to time, for thirty years past, insisted ou the generalized and i>rimitive 

 features of the Bombyciue moths or those families generally included under this head, and now it 

 seems very clear that they have retained many more vestigial characters, and are thus more 

 generalized and ancient groups than the Koctuidse, Geometridiie, and Sphingid*. 



Space has prevented our speaking of the vestigial cliaracters of the imagines cf the 

 Bombyciue motlis, such as the vestigial maxillary palpi of the Saturniida'. 



It is hoped tiiat hereafter more attention Mill be paid to a study of tlie pupal structures 

 of Lepidoptera, particularly of the Tineoid moths. And it need scarcely be urged that it is 

 most desirable that the authors of future catalogues of Lepidoptera will begin witli the most 

 generalized forms, the tineids, and end with the butterflies, as being in better accord with the 

 results of recent studies and with the principles of evolution. lu tliat way tliere will gradually 

 be infused among collectors and beginners more scientific concei)tions of the origin of the 

 Lepidoptera, and thus the collection and examination of these insects will have an educational 

 value which at present seems in some quarters entirely lacking. 



