234 



fused with the mesothorax ; the abdomen in the generalized forms 

 elongated, and with large exserted abdominal male genital armature. 



Pupa incomplete, the abdominal segments 3 to 6 or 7 free ; in the 

 more generalized primitive forms the end of the maxillary palpi form- 

 ing visible subocular pieces or »eye collar«; or a flap-like piece on the 

 outside of the maxillae; the labial palpi often visible; clypeus and 

 labrum distinct; paraclypeal pieces distinct; no cremaster or only a 

 rudimentary one in the generalized primitive forms. 



Larvae with usually a prothoracic dorsal chitinous plate; the 

 armature consisting in the primitive forms of minute 1 -haired tuber- 

 cles, the four dorsal ones arranged in a trapezoid on abdominal seg- 

 ments 1 — 8, becoming specialized in various ways in the later families 

 into fleshy tubercles, or spines of various shapes, 5 pairs of abdominal 

 legs, with booklets or crochets forming a complete circle in the more 

 generalized forms (in Hepialidae several complete circles, the hook- 

 lets in the later, more specialized groups usually forming a semicircle 

 situated on the inner side of the planta. 



This suborder may be subdivided into two series of superfamilies 

 and families, the Palaeolepidoptera, and the Neolepidoptera. 

 I. Palaeolepidoptera (Pupae liberae). 



The characters of the group are those of Micropteryx^ as this is 

 the only genus yet known. Its larva has a well developed spinneret; 

 though it has no abdominal legs, the other features are so truly lepi- 

 dopterous that the absence of legs may be the result of reduction by 

 disuse, rather than a primitive feature. 



The pupa has entirely free antennae, mouth-parts and limbs, and 

 bears considerable resemblance to that of a caddis-fly. 



The mandibles are enormous and as described by Chapman, 

 are adapted for cutting through the dense cocoon. The maxillae are 

 separate and curled up on each side and partly concealed by the 2d 

 maxillary (labial) palpi, not extending straight doAvn as in the Pupae 

 incompletae and obtectae; the maxillary palpi situated just in 

 front of the mandibles, extends outwards and forward reaching to the 

 antennae. The labrum is deeply cleft, and strongly setose, as is the 

 epicraniura, the clypeus is square with a singular white delicate mem- 

 brane projecting from it, the use of which is unknown. The hind legs 

 extend beyond the end of the abdomen, which is simple, not termi- 

 nating in a cremaster; the sides of the segments bear a single large seta. 



The trunk characters are much as in EriocepJiala. The head is 

 larger and squarer, the eyes very small, there are two ocelli present, 

 the clypeus and labrum are short and small. 



The prothorax is very much reduced, much as in Eriocephaia] 



