34 MAINE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 1917. 



from the great majority of the families Noctuidae, Liparidae, 

 and Lasiocampidae in which they are often visible for one-fifth 

 the length of the wings. There are no prominent setae on the 

 body, which separates them from most of the Arctlidae, Lipari- 

 dae, Lasiocampidae, and some Noctuidae. As a general rule 

 only the prothoracic leg extends cephalad between the sculp- 

 tured eye-piece and the antenna. Nearly all of the Noctuidae 

 which ^o not show a large portion of the labial palpi and pro- 

 thoracic femora, have both prothoracic and mesothoracic legs 

 extending cephalad between the sculptured eye-piece and the 

 antenna. 



Briefly summarized the characters of the superfamily Not- 

 odontoidea are as follows : Epicranial suture very seldom vis- 

 ible ; antennae separated from the face-parts by a distinct su- 

 ture, always broadest at the proximal end, the greatest width 

 about equal to that of the prothoracic legs, but never much 

 broader; labial palpi seldom visible, and then only a small tri- 

 angular or polygonal portion caudad of the labrum ; prothoracic 

 femora only exposed in the generalized families of Geometridae ; 

 mesothoracic leg very seldom extending cephalad between the 

 sculptured eye-piece and the antenna ; body surface never dense- 

 ly covered with setae or having prominent setae arranged in 

 rings or around prominent oval areas ; abdominal segments 

 usually punctate ; cremaster usually present, and setae at the 

 distal end always hooked. 



The dorsal surface of the abdomen frequently shows a deep 

 furrow between the eighth and ninth abdominal segments. The 

 caudal margin of this furrow is usually serrate or crenulate. 

 There are also spiracular furrows found in many species. These 

 vary in number and form, and are mostly found in the Geomet- 

 ridae. The families of Notodontoidea may be separated as 

 follows : 

 a. ' Metathoracic wings never visible on the ventral surface 



of the body. 



b. Maxillae usually more than three-fifths the length of the 

 wings, if not, then the caudal end of the body with 

 hooked setae, or the spiracles of the third abdominal 

 segment concealed by the wings and those of the sixth 

 segment farther ventrad than those of the other seg- 

 ments ; prothoracic femora sometimes exposed ; a deep 



