LEPIDOPTERA. 325 
however, he added a third, Sphinx, dividing Papilio into five, and Pha- 
lana into eight sections. Latreille adopted these three groups, to 
which he gave the sectional names of Diurna, CrEpuSCULARIA, and 
Nocturna. Mr. Stephens, rejecting the last of these three sections, 
has proposed another arrangement, dividing the order into six primary 
groups, namely: 1. Drunna: 2. CrEpUSCULARIA: 3. POMERIDIANA: 
corresponding with the Linnean Phalena Bombyx, and comprising 
four families, Hepialide, Bombycide, Notodontide and Arctiide : 
4. NocTuRNA, corresponding with the Linnzwan Phalena Noctua, and 
comprising two families, Lithosiidz and Noctuide: 5. SremipiuRNa, 
corresponding with the Linnean Phalena Geometra and Pyralis, and 
comprising three families, Geometridae, Platyptericide and Pyralide : 
and 6. VESPERTINA, corresponding with the Linnean Phalena Tor- 
trix, Tinea and Alucita, and comprising four families, Tortricide, 
Yponomeutide, Tineide, and Alucitidee. It cannot, however, be denied 
that the first of these primary groups is of higher value, and presents 
more exclusive characters than any of the rest. The preceding, toge- 
ther with other classifications proposed by Dumeril, Lamarck, Dalman, 
&c., are for the most part founded upon considerations derived from 
the perfect state of the insect ; or if the preparatory states are taken 
into account, it is only in asecondary manner. It will be easily con- 
ceived, however, from the general principles enforced in the preceding 
pages of this work, that arrangements founded upon the transform- 
ations of these insects, or upon a natural combination of their relations 
inter se, are, at least in my opinion, entitled to far higher weight than 
the preceding ; and although we are still lamentably deficient in the 
knowledge of the transformations of exotic species, and indeed still 
possess, at best, but a most superficial knowledge of exotic Lepidop- 
tera, more especially of the nocturnal species, yet every attempt made 
to distribute the order upon principles resting upon these considera- 
tions has proved far more successful than any others. Indeed, 
whilst it is only recently that zoologists in general have arrived at the 
truth that an animal cannot find a natural and definitive place amongst 
its relations, until, not only its own entire adult organisation is fully 
investigated, but, also, all the peculiarities which it exhibits in its 
progress to maturity are known, Lepidopterists have long adopted 
the latter principle, owing, it must be confessed, to the great difficulty 
which attends the investigation of this order, and, it must be confessed, 
to the dislike which the possessors of rare and beautiful specimens have 
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