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NORTH AMERICAN LEPIDOPTERA. 49 



A ]fIO]\0«RAI*II OF THE SPHIXGID.i: 



of America JK^ortli of* Mexico. 



BY JOHN B. SMITH. 



I". 



Early in 1885 I gave a short paper on the genera of the N. A. 

 Spiling kUe, as one of a series of introductory papers published in 

 " Entomologica Americana." In this considerable changes were 

 made from the classification usually accepted by American authors 

 and quite a number of genera merged. The paper called forth a 

 criticism from Prof Fernald, who was working on the New England 

 forms of the same fiimily, as a whole appreciative in tone, but dis- 

 agreeing in the fusion of some of the genera, and calling attention 

 to some few inaccuracies which had crept in, mainly the result of a 

 loose use of language. Prof Fernald suggests, from the result of his 

 studies, that a study of more species would probably modify my 

 opinions in the direction of further generic division. The professor 

 was right; since that time I have lost no opportunity of adding to 

 my notes, which formed a goodly number of i)ages before this pajjer 

 was begun. I have seen nearly every species, and of most 1 have 

 made thorough study — in an isolated way it is true, and at odd times, 

 as I saw the species, but sufficient to enable me to complete the work 

 at this time with the U. S. National Museum collection inow in- 

 cluding my own) which represents the great majority of all the 

 species, except in the Macroglossince, in which it is comparatively 

 poor. 



I have drawn liberally for my descriptions on Prof. Fernald's 

 work, and have freely reproduced the original descrij)tions of larv?e 

 and imagos where they were sufficiently full, in all cases, however, 

 comparing them with the insects themselves where possible. Prof. 

 Riley has very kindly placed at my disposal all his notes in the 

 family, and I have made use of them in many cases to solve doubts, 

 without special acknowledgement. There is hardly a collector oi- 

 collection that has not in some way contributed or aided in this paper 

 at odd tinjes and often unknown to himself, and all have my sincere 

 thanks. 



TRANS. AMER. ENT. SOC. XV. (7) APRIL, 1888. 



