6 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol.xxi. 



ters in seemingly allied genera to make this of any great importance at 

 present. 



It will be seen from tliis review that the last word on the relationship 

 of the genera treated in this paper has not been said, and that their 

 association as adults is not fully warranted except from convenience. 



In tabular form the groups and genera above referred to may be 

 arranged as follows: 



ANALYTICAL KEY TO GROUPS AND GENERA. 



Vein 5 of secondaries as strong as the others and arising from the median vein close 



to 4 ; eyes hairy Pantheinf. 



Tongue short and weak, useless for feeding; antennae pectinated in the male, 

 simple in the female. 

 Primaries broad, trigonate, inner and outer margin approximately equal in 



length Panthea. 



Primaries narrower, more abruptly widening at base, the inuer maigin 



longer than the outer Demas. 



Tongue moderate, useful for feeding; antennae pectinated in both sexes; though 



shortly in female Charadra. 



Vein 5 of secondaries weak, arising from the cross-vein remote from 4 ; eyes always 



naked Acronyctini. 



Antennae simple in both sexes. 



Tongue moderate or strong; ordinary spots or transverse uiaculation at least 



traceable Acronycta. 



Tongue weak and short; maculation strigate, without trace of ordinary 



spots or transverse lines Arsilonche. 



Antennae shortly pectinated in the males. 



Ashen gray species with hairy vestiture, body plump, wings small ; abdomen 



untufted Merolonche. 



Brightly colored and marked, with scaly vestiture; body slight; wings 

 large, abdomen i^rominently tufted Harrisimemna, 



THE EARLY STAGES OF ACRONYCTIDS. 

 * By Harrison G. Dyar. 



The descriptions of larvae, which I have i^repared to supplement 

 Professor Smith's account of the imagines, are taken almost entirely 

 from my own notes. Professor Smith had practically no useful notes 

 on early stages to turn over to me, but there was considerable material 

 in alcoholic aud inflated specimens. Most of this, however, consisted 

 of the common species on which I already- had notes, and only a few 

 of the specimens were of service. Fortunately, my notes were rather 

 full in the Acronyctid forms, though far from complete, as I had not 

 made special efforts to finish them. 



The larvae of the Lepidoptera present a number of well-marked 

 differences in structure among themselves, affecting jirincipally the 

 clothing of hairs. These differences are very well marked in the 

 Acronycta larvae. So great is the diversity that Dr. A. Gr. Butler 

 formerly attached much importance to it, referring the several species 

 of Acronycta to different families of moths, according as the larval 



