( 329 ; 



VIII. On some moths allied to Himantopterus, with 

 description of a new species. By Henry J. Elwes, 

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



[Read March 5th, 1890.] 



Plate X. 



In describing a new species of a family which has puzzled 

 several lepidopterists of much greater experience than 

 myself, I feel that I am attempting a task which is 

 impossible to accomplish fully ; but, as any opinions on 

 the classification of Heterocera must be provisional in 

 the existing very confused and imperfect state of our 

 knowledge, I hope that I shall at least lay a better 

 foundation for a study of this group than we have at 

 present. 



It seems to me that descriptions of new species which 

 are to be certainly identified by future workers, must 

 be accompanied either by a correct illustration, or 

 by such a comparison with their allies as may enable 

 their distinctive characters to be appreciated. I have 

 found that the difficulty of acquiring a correct know- 

 ledge of Lepidoptera is greatly increased by the non- 

 comparative descriptions which are often given, so 

 that it is not surprising that few workers have studied 

 exotic moths, or that still fewer of those who have 

 studied them have done so in a thorough and careful way. 

 The literature is voluminous and scattered, and the 

 difficulty of examining such species as the present is 

 great, and can only be undertaken successfully with the 

 help of a good draughtsman, or when wings denuded of 

 their scales are prepared and mounted in such a way 

 that they can be compared together. Having obtained 

 the assistance of Mr. Frohawk, whose beautiful drawings 

 contribute to make our President's recent monograph of 

 Tin(egcria a model for other work, I have been able to 

 see points that I could not otherwise have seen, in the 

 very delicate and minute venation which he illustrates. 



TRANS. ENT. SOC. LOND. 1890. PART II. (jUNE.) Z 



