PREFACE. 



THE Fourth Volume of the Moths in the ' Fauna of British 

 India ' deals with the subfamilies, genera, and species of 

 Indian Pyralida. 



In the lowest subfamily, the Pyraustina, the least specia- 

 lized form is Simtethistis tricolor, with vein 5 of each wing 

 from the middle of the discocellulars, all the subcostals of the 

 fore wing from the cell, vein 8 of the hind wing free, and 

 the palpi porrect with the 3rd joint naked a combination of 

 generalized characters which would almost allow this species 

 to be regarded as the ancestor of the whole family. Almost 

 all other Pyralida have veins 8 and 9 of the fore wing 

 stalked. From Simaethistis the Pyraustince diverge in two 

 directions firstly, to forms with porrect triangularly scaled 

 palpi, the 3rd joint concealed, from low down in which 

 series originated the Scopariina, with raised tufts of scales 

 on the fore wing; and, secondly, to forms with upturned 

 palpi, the 3rd joint long and acuminate. From the lower 

 Pyraustince, with porrect palpi and the 3rd joint naked, 

 arose also the other groups of Pyralidce : 



The Hydrocampince with vein 10 of the fore wing stalked 

 with 8 and 9 : 



The Pyralina, with vein 7 stalked with 8 and 9, and vein 8 

 of the hind wing free ; giving rise to (a) the Endotrichince, 

 with vein 8 of the hind wing anastomosing with 7, from 

 which arose the Chrysaugina, with the maxillary palpi 

 absent ; and (b) the Epipaschiince, with raised tufts of scales 

 on the fore wing and vein 8 of the hind wing either free or 

 anastomosing with 7, giving rise to the Phytitina, with vein 7 



