INSECTA TRANSVAALIENSIA. 



51 



classification of this group of Moths, and since, in response to some comment of Dr. Dyar,* 

 has again reaffirmed his views on the subject, with a concise synopsis expressing the same, 

 as follows f : — 



Eadius 5-brancbed ..... 



Eacliiis 3-4-brancbecl ..... 



(1). Vein IV.j anastomosing with IV-^ 

 Cell open ...... 



Cell closed. 



Hind wings wanting vein VIII . 

 Hind wings with VIII present . 

 (2). Vein IVg from tbe cross-vein . 

 Cell apically depressed. 



Hind wings wanting vein VIII . 

 Hind wings with vein VIII present 

 Cell rectangular .... 



SPHINGIDES. 

 SATURNIIDES. 

 Satumiidse. 

 Attaciiue 1. 



SaturniirKE 2. 

 IlemileucincB 3. 

 Agliidse. 



Agliince 4. 

 Citheroniiuce 6. 

 Automerince 5. 



The principal publications on the Saturniidae which to any extent include the South 

 African species are as follows : — 



Westwood, J. 0. " Monograph of the large African species of Nocturnal Lepidoptera belonging or allied 

 to the genus Satiiniin." (Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1849, pp. 33-61, plates vii.-x.) 



Wallengren, H. D. J. " Heterocer-Fjarilar Kafferlaudet." (Kongl. Sveusk. Vet.-Ak. Haudl. Bd. v. No. 4, 

 pp. 24-8 (1865).) 



Maassen und Weyjier. ' Beitrage zur Scbmetterlingskunde,' Lief. i.-v. (all published) (1869-85). 



KiRBY, W. F. " Notes on tbe African Saturniidse in tbe Collection of tbe Eoyal Dublin Society." (Trans. 

 Ent. Soc. Lond. 1877, pp. 15-21.) 



EoTHscHiLD, W., Hon. "Notes on Saturniid® ; with a preliminary revision of tbe Family down to the 

 Genus Automeiix, and descriptions of some new species." (' Novitates Zoologicfe,' vol. ii. pp. 35-51, 1895.) 



Wailly, Alfred. •' Silk-producing Lepidoptera — African Species." ('Entomologist,' xxix. p. 352 (1896).) 



Distant, W. L. " On a Collection of Heterocera made in the Transvaal. Fam. Saturniidje." (Ann. Mag. 

 Nat. Hist. Ser. 6, vol. xix. pp. 390-4 (1897).) 



SoNTHoNNAX, M. L. ^ " Essai de Classification des Lepidopteres producteurs de Sole." (Compte rend, des 

 Travaux du Laboratoire d'Etudes de la Sole, 1895-1900).) 



Other writers and describers will be referred to in the nomenclature of the genera and 

 species, and in notes. 



Fam. SATUKNIID^. 



Saturniida, Hampson, Fauna of Brit. India, Moths, vol. i. p. 12 (1892). 



Hampson thus diagnoses this family on Oriental representatives : — " Proboscis absent ; 

 palpi minute. Antennce hipectinated in both sexes, the branches long in male, longest at middle and 

 diminishing to base and apex. Tjcgs short, hairy, and tvithout spurs. Fore iving with vein 1 b forlced 

 at base ; Ic absent; the discoceUulars [lohen present) emitted from vein 5, ivhich is stalked with 6 ; 

 veins 10 and 11 absent. Hind iving tvithout a fremdum ; a precostal vein slightly developed; the 

 discoceUulars emitted from, vein 5, tvhich is stalked with 6 ; one internal vein. Larvae smooth, ivith 

 spiniferous ttibercles, dorsal humps, long fleshy spinous processes, or small toarts, and forming cocoons, 

 those produced by several of the species giving the Tussur silks of commerce." 



Taking this as a general diagnosis, we propose, from the different methods of trans- 

 formations in the African species, to further divide the family as follows : — 



A. Lame spinning and constructing a perfect cocoon . 



B. Larvce pupating subterraneously, in the chrysalis condition 



Subfam. Saturniinse. 

 Subfam. Sphingicampinse. 



* ' Canadian Entomologist,' xxviii. p. 270 (1896). 



f Journ. New York Entomol. Soc. v. pp. 44-8 (1897). — J. W. Tutt has also recently discussed the classificatory position 

 of these Moths at great length (' Nat. Hist. Brit. Lepidoptera,' vol. iii. pp. 265-342. 



H -2 



