MARCH, 1862. 195 



[Extracted from the Proceedings of the Entomological Society of 

 Philadelphia, Vol. I. pp. 173—181, March, 1862.] 



SYNOPSIS OF FAMILIES OF HETEROCERA. 



BY BRACKENRIDGE CLEMENS, M.D. 



That the following Synopsis of Families may be used to 

 advantage, it is necessary that the fore and hind-wings should 

 be carefully denuded of their scales on both sides. 



My own method of doing this, is as follows : the wings are 

 carefully detached from the thorax and placed on a slip of 

 glass, with the surface a little moistened with common water. 

 Then with a sable hair-pencil, pointed and moistened by the 

 lips, the upper surface is denuded, working with light and 

 careful touches, in the direction in which the scales lie. 

 When the upper surface has been denuded and the wings 

 have dried, they can be easily detached from the glass by 

 placing the point of the pencil under the base, or the part 

 attached to the thorax. After the wings have been detached 

 from the glass the denuded side is secured to it by a little 

 moisture from the mouth, as it is slightly adhesive when 

 dried, and the under side is then carefully denuded. 



The entire surface of the wing need not be denuded; it is 

 quite sufficient if those parts in which the modifications of 

 structure chiefly take place are made transparent. This, 

 however, applies principally to the fore-wings ; it is necessary 

 to obtain a clear view of every portion of the hind-wings, 

 except the distribution of the nervules to the hinder margin. 



When the wings are very small, they must be denuded 

 under a lens. When large, the under side can be denuded 

 without removal from the body. 



o2 



