GEOMETRIDAE 247 



This is also an extensive family, though principally in- 

 habiting the Indo- Malayan, African, and Australian regions ; 

 few species occur in Europe or America, and none in New 

 Zealand. Excepting some of the earliest genera, these insects 

 are remarkable for their clear green colour, which is compara 

 tively rare in the Lepidoptera, but here so constant as to be 

 almost of systematic value. This colouring is no doubt pro- 

 tective, and the habits of the imagos are in accordance with it, 

 as they ai'e usually strictly noctxirnal in their flight. The 

 origin of the family may be unhesitatingly referred to 

 Sarcinodes, an Indo -Malayan genus of Monocteniadae. Imago 

 with body moderate or slender, forewings broad -triangular , 

 posterior tibiae of $ sometimes enclosing an exjiansible tuft of 

 hairs. 



Ovum, larva, and pupa much as in the Sterrhidae, but larva 

 sometimes stouter. 



The phylogeny is nearly expressed by the order. 



Tabulation of Genera. 



1. Posterior tibiae in S without middle-spurs 1. Nemoria. 



,, ,, with middle-spurs . . 2. 



2. Antennae in S bipectinated to apex . 3. Geometra. 



,, ,, with apex simjjle . . 3. 



3. Hindwings with 6 and 7 stalked . . 2. Euchloris. 



,, ,, 6 and 7 separate 4. Pseudoterpna. 



1. Nemoria, lib. 



Anteimae in S ciliated. Palpi ^ihortly rough-scaled. Pos- 

 terior tibiae in c? with end-spurs only, tarsi short. Forewings : 

 10 out of 9, 11 sometimes anastomosing with 12. Hindwings . 

 3 and 4 sometimes stalked, 6 and 7 stalked, 8 very shortly 

 anastomosing with cell near base, thence rapidly diverging. 



A genus of limited extent but wide distribution. Larva 

 transversely wrinkled, head and 2 bicuspidate. 



Cilia barred with darker . . .1. strigata. 



„ not barred . . . .2. viridata. 



1. N. strigata, Midi, {thymiaria, Gn.) 27-31 mm. Face 

 red -brown, fillet white, crown light green. Antennae in S 

 strongly dentate. Forewings dull green ; first and second lines 

 sinuate, whitish ; cilia whitish, barred with dark grey. Hind- 

 wings as forewings, bvit first line absent, a darker discal mark ; 

 termen subcaudate-an liulated . 



