Phylogeny and Evolution of the Lepidoptera. 569 



cocoon immediately previous to the emergence of the 

 imag'o. 



When we note that the most neuropterous of these 

 families retain active and useful jaws as imao-ities, and 

 that some of these, as the Hemerobiidx, have jaws of a 

 remarkably modified structure, we may at any rate con- 

 clude that in this group of families the mandibular 

 structures were in a highly plastic condition for develop- 

 ment in any direction that appeared advantageous. 



This peculiar method of escape from the cocoon 

 associates with these Neuvoptera, the Pln-ijtjanddfe, and 

 the AllcropterygiJx, families whose affinities with the 

 Neuvoptera on the one hand, and the Lppidoptera on the 

 other, have long been, recognized, as well established on 

 other grounds. 



'J'his relationship between the Lppidoptera and the 

 Eeuroptera was first clearly established by McLachlan 

 at a time when it was rank heresy to make such a sug- 

 gestion, and to whom sufficient credit for so definite 

 a breaking of new ground has hardly yet been 

 accorded. 



I believe Dr. Sharp quite agrees with me in assimi- 

 lating the P/iri/ganeidai and the Micropfenj'jidai together, 

 as being, though somewhat far apart, still nearer together 

 than either is to the Neuroptera on one hand, or to the 

 Lepidoptera on the other. I believe he sets more value 

 on their neuropterous than on their lepidopterous affini- 

 ties, whilst I take leather the contrary view, regarding the 

 lower Adelidx. as being very probably directly derived 

 from the Mlcropjteryges. No doubt the question is more 

 a question of personal equation than of fact, and I would 

 agree that Dr. Sharp, taking a broader standpoint than 

 mine, is possibly able to secure a more correct; view. 



There are two points that I may claim as making them 

 Lepidoptera rather than Neuroptera. The first is that 

 Npuroplera are carnivorous, Lepidoptera phytophagous. 

 The phytophagous habit is strong in the Phryganeidm, 

 absolute in the Micropteryges. The other, which more 

 concerns the subject of the present paper, is that they 

 have lost the imaginal jaws. Micropteryx has a distinctly 

 lepidopterous haustellum. Looking to the more neu- 

 ropterous families with pupal jaws, we find they have also 

 imaginal jaws ; it is therefore apparently correct to con- 

 clude that the loss of the imaginal jaw is secondary to the 



