' THE GENUS ACRONYCTA AND ITS ALLIES. 275 



a real relationship, the tendency to weak segments having 

 taken somewhat different directions in the two groups. The 

 Noctuid eggs of some Liparids, and the Liparid features of the 

 larva of M. orion, being other points of connection. 



Xylina and certain Orthosids have a somewhat flattened egg 

 of very similar sculpturing to Acronycta, though quite different 

 in coloration. The neuration is also similar, and the larvae of 

 both (unusual amongst Nocture) are arboreal feeders. These 

 characters appear to imply some, though distant affinity. 



In Arctia we have- again traces of affinity to Acronycta. The 

 most remarkable is perhaps the anal armature of the pupa. In 

 caja, for example, we have an arrangement of spines very like 

 that of Ciispidia, whilst the texture strongly suggests that of 

 Viminia. The ova, though very different in form and sculp- 

 turing, tend to be of the same delicate glassy texture. It is 

 therefore probable that the Arctioid character of the larva of 

 Viminia is not a mere accidental resemblance, but the result 

 of actual affinity. The red lateral line of nienyanthidis (and 

 others) is very like that of some Arctias (half-grown caja, for 

 instance), though this form of marking is no doubt found 

 in widely separated and unrelated species (e.g., half-grown 

 Satiirnia carpini). 



The BryophilidcB are always associated with the Acronyctce, 

 being placed by Guenee with them and the CymatophoridcB in 

 his tribe Bomhyciformes. I cannot resist the belief that they 

 are much further from the Acronyctas than this arrangement 

 implies. The egg of a Bryophila (PI. IX., fig. 6. 6a) is rounded, 

 and is sculptured and coloured like those of the tribe GcnuincB. 

 The young larva (PI. IX., fig. 7) is not a looper, but has all 

 the prolegs long and well developed ; it is remarkable for 

 having, besides the ordinary tubercles, each marked by one 

 hair, a number of dots several times as numerous as the 

 tubercles and looking just like them, but without hairs and 

 disappearing as the larva grows. None of the segments are 

 stronger or weaker than the others. 



I should like to be able to discuss the value of the character 

 of the venation of the anal angle of the upper wing that I have 

 mentioned as apparently characteristic of the Acronyctas, but to 

 do so would require a knowledge of the venation of other 

 families that I cannot pretend to. In Bryophila the space here 

 is much wider than in Acronycta and by markings is evidently 

 two spaces, but there is no "intermediate" vein. Cccndco- 

 cephala makes the nearest approach to Acronycta of any of 



