180 



THE ENTOMOLOGIST S RECORD. 



is a certain beginning of the process which we find in the Fumeas, of 

 retaining the abdominal extremity in the mouth of the sac, doubtless 

 as protection against the intrusion of enemies, but which leads on to 

 the habit that has been acquired by the higher Psychids of the female 

 never leaving the sac, though she leaves the pupa-case. 



The whole matter comes to this, that without the Luftiids the 

 macros could be divided from the micros by several characters, but 

 with tbem it is really impossible. Taking various characters as correct 

 grounds of division, the results would be very different, thus : — 



This unity of the I\si/chi(Ics as one superfamily is by no means a 

 new discovery, it was appreciated by Hiibner, and fully understood by 

 Guenee and Bruand half a century ago, but when we see a contrary 

 view^ held by two such ambitious authors as Barrett and Meyrick, 

 who hold front places as systematists of British insects, it is necessary 

 to reiterate sound views, even if somewhat ad naiisrain. 



A consideration of the Lypusids, however, even the little I know of 

 them, shows that the phylesis of the Psychids is not altogether so 

 simple and direct, as we have been representing it. The Lypusids are, 

 like the Lufifias, Micro-Psychids in some respects, Macro-Psychids in 

 others. This is outside our present subject, which I w' ill thus conclude. 



Since writing the above, I find that Weismann has published the 

 result of certain researches!, proving clearly that the drone egg laid by 

 the fertilised hive bee contains no ^ element, i.e., is parthenogenetic, 

 and showing the natural deductions from field observations to be 

 correct. 



* The Proutias {PruiiHiiKu) and Fumeas [I''uiiiei)iiu') are united by Tutt {Brit. 

 Lep., ii., pp. *27G ct xeq.) to make up the family Fumeidui'. 



t A. Weismann, "Ueber die Parthenogenese der Bienen.'' Anat. Aiu., December 

 5th, 1900. 



