Classification of the Pyralide. 129 
each divided into two lobes like a Pterophorid, and it 
must be descended from a very ancestral form of 
Pyrale, having collateral affinities to the ancestor of 
the Pterophoride. 
Apart from Cenoloba, the most generalized form in 
the group is Mabra, with short porrect triangularly- 
scaled palpi giving rise to Diathrausta with vein 4 of 
the hindwing absent; secondly, to a group with upturned 
palpi, the 3rd joint short and blunt, of which Bradina is 
typical, and Perisyntrocha, Stegothyris, etc., specialized 
developments with different neuration of the forewing ; 
and, thirdly, through Talanga and Parthenodes to the 
typical Nymphula group with upturned palpi, the 3rd 
joint long and acuminate, the maxillary palpi long and 
often dilated with scales, of which Tetrernia and “Argy- 
ractis are forms with specialized neuration. 
The genus Hydrocampa having been merged in 
Nymphula, it will be thought by some that the name of 
the subfamily also should have been changed; but as the 
word Hydrocanvpine expresses the habits of a larger 
number of the species in the group, it seems to me quite 
legitimate to retain it. The constant reckless changing 
of names in zoology disgusts a large number of keen 
naturalists who are unable to waste a large amount of 
time over the literature of the subject, and it seems a 
great mistake to change well-known names before there 
is some general agreement as to the principles on which 
the change should be made and some prospect of its 
being permanent, which cannot be the case whilst every- 
one makes his own rules of nomenclature and his prin- 
ciples of selecting the types of genera. In accordance 
with these opinions, I have, in this and other papers, 
retained the well-known names for European genera in 
preference to the Hiibnerian names of the Verzeichniss 
and other works, merely indicating, by placing their 
names in the synonymy, that they may at some future 
time be adopted for the genera in question. 
I have to thank Mr. Herbert Druce for the loan of the 
species described in the ‘ Biologia Centrali-Americana ’ 
Mr. W. Schaus for the loan of specimens of American 
Pyralide compared with Guenée’s types in Monsieur 
Oberthur’s collection ; the Hon. Walter Rothschild for the 
loan of the whole of his magnificent collection of Pyralidx 
from the Indian, Malayan, and Australian regions; Mr. 
TRANS. ENT. SOC. LOND. 1897.—PparT ul. (JULY) 9 
