March 1S97.] GkOTE : CLASSIFICATION OF THE SaTURNIIDES. 4T 



phological change in the structure of the wing, tending to the oblitera- 

 tion of the cross- vein, the permanent attachment of the two upper 

 branches of the median vein to the Radial series and of the lower 

 branch to the Cubitus. Such a grand alteration in the pattern of the 

 neuration must take place through a series of gradual steps, no one of 

 which i ; fortuitous. To suppose that a member of the Aglid series of 

 a low type (vein VIII of secondaries being retained) could attain such 

 a stage as Hemileuca presents, presupposes a total subversion of struc- 

 tural sequence. No one, I think, who had studied the neuration atten- 

 tively could entertain so violent a view. I close this reply to Dr. Dyar's 

 otherwise kind notice with a confession of my inability to understand 

 what it is in the spacing of the analytical table which makes it unintelli- 

 gible, and a recapitulation of the characters of the higher structural 

 groups of the Satiirniides as established by me. I conclude that the 

 classification is plain and obvious and is preferable to the obscure char- 

 acters upon which Dr. Dyar would regard Aglia and Hemileuca as 

 types of distinct families. So far as my studies go I have found no 

 grounds for increasing the family types in the Sati/rniides, since all the 

 genera examined by me fall naturally and easily into their places under 

 one or the other of the two families limited in my paper. 



Radius 5-branched SPHINGIDES. 



Radius 3-4-branched SATURNIIDES. 



(1) Vein IV^ anastomosing with l\\ Saturniid.^;.- 



Cell open Attacin.«. i. ■ 



Cell closed. 



Hind wings wanting vein VIII SATURNiiNyE. 2. 



Hind wings with VIII present Hemileucin.e. 3. 



(2) Vein IV., from the cross-vein Agliid.e.- 



Cell apically depressed. 



Hind wings wanting vein VIII Agliin^. 4. ■ 



Hind wings with vein VIII present Citheroniin.^. 6. 



Cell rectangular Automerin.^. 5. 



In view of the radius being 5-branched and the internal vein (VIII) 

 of the secondaries being retained throughout, I consider the Sphingtdes 

 as lower, less specialized, than the Satiirniides. But, since both groups 

 are parallel, both rooting in the Tineides, their relative position in a 

 linear arrangement is less important and, as I say in the " Systema," I 

 have tried to keep the original sequence of Linne where this can be 

 done without violence. In this case there may be other points, such as 

 the specialized larva, the advanced prothorax and salient head, the 

 narrow wings and the cylindrical and tapering abdomen, all fitting the 



