26 STEUCTUEE AND LITEEATIJEE. 



find any distinguisliing characters ; and I have 

 regarded the Cymatoplwinna and Brephina as sub- 

 ordinate groups of the Noctuidse, not being satisfied 

 that the neuration gives a determinative family 

 character. In Nolapliana, which seems otherwise 

 a Noctuid, vein 5 of the fore wings is situated mid- 

 way between 4 and 6. 



AVhen we turn to the arrangement of the Eamily 

 into subordinate groups, or subfamilies, we find that 

 opinions again vary. Generally speaking, authors 

 seem to have recognized two divisions — M. Guenee 

 calls them Trifidce and QiiadrifidcB, and Dr. Packard 

 Noctuince and CatoGalince. The earliest designation 

 of these groups appears to be by Borkhausen, who 

 calls them No7ifasciatce and Fasciatce, from the 

 diff'ering pattern of ornamentation ; and these terms 

 I have adopted myself. Lederer, however, will 

 admit no subordinate groups whatever. Having 

 thrown out Cymatopliora {Bomhycia) and allies, to- 

 gether with Brephos, he allows the genera to follow 

 one after another, including the Deltoid forms, 

 without a break from Blloha to Rivula. 



It seems to me that the Noctuidse are a large 

 group of but slightly diff'ering structural forms, 

 lying between the Geometridae and the group Noto- 

 dontidse, or Ptllodontes of the Bombycidae, and with 

 a more remote connection with the Sphingidge. Mr. 

 A. G. Butler says that " the Noctuida3 are in all pro- 

 bability descended from the Geometrites ; that their 

 ancestors were ' loopers.' " I find that there is a con- 

 stant modification of the markings and form in the 

 Noctuid moths, in the two followinf? directions. On 



