73 
VI. Contributions to a Knowledge of North American 
Moths 
BY AUG. R. GROTE. 
[Read before this Society, June 6th, 1873.) 
DvUMERIL, in 1823, and afterwards Boisduval, in 1836, availed 
themselves of the structural feature offered by the different anten- 
nal forms in the Lepidoptera to establish ideal divisions, higher 
than Families, in the sub-order. Although not so strongly insisted 
upon, other considerations may have suggested themselves, appar- 
ently justifying a separation of the Butterflies from the rest of the 
Lepidoptera. But, as we become acquainted with the sub-order, 
the peculiarities of the Butterflies lessen by comparison. And 
since the form of the antennae is nowhere absolute, and even in 
reality will not always separate the Butterflies from many Moths, 
and since the divisions proposed by Dr. Boisduval are evidently of 
unequal yalue, and the character on which they rest of little sys- 
tematic weight, the terms cannot be retained. Boisduval’s terms 
are in part synchronous with Duméril’s, which, in case of accept- 
ance of the values intended, should be preferred. The compara- 
tively persistent character of the clavate antennae in the Butterflies 
is noticed by Hiibner in 1816. But it is evident that the Hesperi- 
dae, for instance, present a modification of the form of the anten- 
nus as we find it in the higher Butterflies, and are accordingly not 
to be indifferently classed with them. It would seem as though the 
succession of Family groups in the Lepidoptera is not to be dis- 
turbed by higher exact division, nor need we employ other terms 
than our common ones for general purposes of designation. 
Professor Agassiz, in 1849, records a character which had been 
before unnoticed by the classificators of the sub-order. Agassiz 
calls attention to the fact, that there is a common position of the 
BUL. BUF. S0C. NAT. SCI. (10) JULY, 1873. 
