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IX. On the natural affinities of the Lepidopterous 

 family ^f^eriidas. By Arthur G. Butler, 

 F.L.S., F.Z.S., &c. 



[Read March 6th, 1878.] 



(PL V.) 



The ^(/eriidce, or Clear-wing moths have long been left 

 in peace at the head of the Heterocerous Lepidoptera ; 

 and, notwithstanding their entire dissimilarity from the 

 typical SphingidcB in all their stages of development, 

 nobody, to my knowledge, has hitherto attempted to locate 

 them in a more natural position. 



The slight semblance of affinity to certain of the true 

 Sphinges in the form of the antennas and expansion of 

 the caudal tuft of some genera of Clear-wings, appears 

 to be the sole cause of the long association of these two 

 widely-differing families; but a microscopic comparison 

 of the antennae of Hemaris {Sesia of British lists) with 

 those of Sphecia reveals a complete dissimilarity of struc- 

 tural detail. (See figs. 3, 4.) 



The antennas o^ Hemaris (fig. 3) are neither pectinated 

 nor laminated, but their anterior surface is crossed at 

 regular intervals by serried ranks of slightly-curved stiff 

 hairs ; whereas in Sphecia (fig. 4) the anterior surface is 

 deeply and coarsely laminated, each lamina being set with 

 short bristles ; in this genus, also, the apex of the antenna 

 terminates in a well-marked pencil of rigid hairs. 



The expanded caudal tuft found in JEgeria, and one or 

 two other genera, is shared in common with other families 

 beside the Sphingidan, and is far more constant among the 

 members of that group which I am constrained to regard 

 as nearest to the ^geriidce, than it is amongst the typical 

 Hawk-moths. 



So far for the only points which the Sphingidce, to a 

 casual observer, seem to have in common with the 

 j^geriidce, for I suppose no entomologist who knows 

 anything of extra-European moths would for a moment 

 take the transparent character of the wings in some genera 



TRANS. ENT. SOC. 1878. — PART IT. (jULY.) K 



