84 Mr. E. Meyrick o)i the classification of 



44. Epirranthis, Hb. 



Face with appressed scales. Tongue developed. Palpi very 

 short or moderate, porrected or subascending, rough-scaled. An- 

 tennae in ^ evenly ciliated. Thorax rather hairy beneath. Femora 

 glabrous; posterior tibiae with all spurs present. Fore wings with 

 10 anastomosing with 9, 11 anastomosing with 12 and 10 before 9. 

 Hind wings with 6 and 7 separate. 



Besides the following species, which ranges from 

 Northern Europe to Eastern Asia, I am only acquainted 

 with two from New Zealand. It is a rather isolated 

 genus at present. 



pulvemta, Thnb. 



4. STERRHID^. 



Fore wings with 10 rising out of 9, 11 anastomosing or connected 

 with 9 or rarely (only in Cleta) free ; or less usually 10 anastom- 

 osing with 11 and 9. Hind wings with vein 5 fully developed, 

 rising from middle of transverse vein, 8 very shortly anastomosing 

 with upper margin of cell near base, thence rapidly diverging. 



In all European genera the tongue is well-developed, 

 and is therefore not specially mentioned. The face is 

 nearly always smooth. The posterior tibiae in the <? are 

 usually partially or entirely deprived of spurs, often 

 much swollen and furnished with large tufts of hair, and 

 the tarsi are then generally much abbreviated. The 

 neuration of the fore wings results in the formation of 

 an areole very similar to that of the Hydriomenidce, but 

 much more commonly simple ; but although apparently 

 similar, there is really an essential difference in forma- 

 tion, for in the Hydriomeiiida;, whenever the areole is 

 simple, 10 has coincided with 11 towards base, whereas 

 in the SterrJiidce it has coincided with 9. The charac- 

 teristic structure of vein 8 in the hind wings will dis- 

 tinguish the family at once from all others, except a 

 part of the Gc(>))ictrid(e, and from these the central 

 position of vein 5 easily separates it. The family may 

 be regarded as a development from the Gcometridce, and 

 is of considerable extent. 



The actual ancestral form of the family appears to be 

 lost, but it must have been tolerably intermediate in 

 character between Calothiisanis and llhodo><tyoj)hia. The 



