292 Zoological Society. 
counterbalanced by the striking similarity of their more important 
characters in the perfect state. As to the connexion between Aglaia 
and Endromis, proposed by Boisduval, I cannot consider it as pos- 
sessed of any real existence, Hndromis having a totally different 
arrangement of the wing-veins, the apical portion of the fore-wings 
being traversed by seven branches, namely four arising from the me- 
dian vein, and three simple ones arising from the post-costal vein, the 
wing being furnished with a simple costal, a 5-branched post-costal, 
a 4-branched median and a simpleanal vein. Now this is the typical 
number of branches which a lepidopterous wing ought to possess, 
necording to the theory of Mr. Edward Doubleday, that we are to 
suppose the existence of a discoidal vein traversing the middle of the 
discoidal cell, and that this discoidal vein, as well as the post-costal 
and median, are respectively furnished with three branches, Ac- 
cording to this theory therefore, the two branches of the post-costal 
vein which run to the tip of the fore-wing of Exdromis, together with 
the first branch traversing the front of the disc of the apical portion 
of the wing, are the only real branches of the post-costal vein; the 
two following branches of the post-costal vein, as I have regarded 
them, and the first branch of the median vein, are the branches of the 
supposed discoidal vein, and the three remaining branches of the me- 
dian vein are its only true branches. I do not intend in this place 
to enter into a detail of the reasons which induce me to refuse assent 
to this theory ; I may however observe, Ist, that with regard to the 
functions of these branches, it is evident that the fourth branch of the 
median vein, where present, must form a portion of the system of cir- 
culation effected by the branches of the median vein, just as in like 
manner the three branches of the post-costal vein of Saturnia, which 
traverse the apical portion of the fore-wing, must be considered as ef- 
fectually forming a portion of the post-costal vein ; 2ndly, that it seems 
to me contrary to analogy to admit the existence of fully-developed 
branches of a vein, the base of which has no real existence ; and 3rdly, 
that instances occur (e.g. Psyche Stettinella, Cochleophasia tes- 
sellea) in which the number of branches exceeds the supposed typical 
number of nine (7. e. three post-costal, three discoidal, and three me- 
dian), those insects having ten branches, in which case one of the 
veins must have an extra branch ; whilst in Saturnia for instance, the 
supposed discoidal vein can only have two branches,—hence I see no 
reason why cases may not be supposed in which one vein should have 
more, and another vein fewer, than the typical number of branches ; 
or, in other words, why the median vein in Endromis should not 
have four branches, whilst there are only five branches for the post- 
costal and supposed discoidal veins. 
The antennee also of Lndromis, as well as its transformations, are 
quite different from those of Aglaia and Saturnia; indeed the tribe 
Endromides of Boisduval seems to possess no single connecting cha- 
racter. 
Hiibner, in his ‘ Verzeichniss bekannter Schmetterlinge*,’ has at- 
tempted an arrangement of these insects which appears to me unna- 
tural, so far as the primary divisions are concerned, whereas his inferior 
* Augsburg, 1816, 8yo. 
