((/355'1>) 
XIX. On the Lepidoptera of the Amazons, collected by 
Dr. James W. H. Trail during the years 1873 
to 1875. By Anraur Garpiner Buter, F.L5s, 
F.Z.5., &e. 
|Read July 6th, 1881.] 
Parr [V.—GEOMETRITES. 
Tur Geometrites collected by Dr. Trail consist of eighty- 
two species, of which thirty are new to Science. I 
include the Uraniide, notwithstanding Professor West- 
wood’s admirable paper, and in spite of the instructive 
suggestions as to the affinities of that family therein 
published ; and this I do, not from mere unthinking 
obstinacy, but because I feel satisfied that the Uraniude 
form a passage from the Bombycites to the Geometrites 
proper ; unfortunately, owing to the confused state of 
the classification of the moths, and the very few efforts 
which have been made since the publication of Guenée’s 
work to render it more natural, it is impossible to guage 
accurately the value of characters offered by the 
perfect insects as against those exhibited in the adult 
larva. 
To my mind the imago forms of Urania and Mama* 
show greater affinities to the Geometrites than to the 
Bombycites ; and, until we know the youngest form of the 
larva in these genera, we cannot positively assert that 
the apparent affinity to the Bombycites exhibited by 
the adult stage is reliable. 
A natural classification of the moths would, I believe, 
place the Noctuites near to the Sphinges, and therefore in 
front of the Bombycites, the family Notodontide being 
divided into two distinct groups, the one typified by 
Stauropus, Notodonta, &c., showing greater affinities to 
the Noctuites; the other, as represented by Phalera, to 
the Bombycites: Cerwra and allies may have to form 
a third family to be placed next to the Drepanulide ; 
* The alteration of this name to Manidia is unnecessary, since 
Hiibner and Ochsenheimer’s use of Mormo for the Noctwid genus 
has been largely followed. 
TRANS. ENT. soc. 1881.—PART II. (SEPT.) 
