From the ANNALS VXD MAGAZIXK OF NATURAL HISTORY, 

 Ser. 6, Vol. xiv., October 1894. 





Abnormal Variability in the Antennal Characters o/'Cosmophila 

 erosa, Hiibn. By ARTHUR. G. BUTLER, Ph.D. &c. 



THE structure of the male antennae in moths has very fre- 

 quently been used as the sole character for distinguishing 

 genera. Mr. Hampson, however, has decided to regard all 

 characters found only in one sex as of secondary importance, 

 and consequently has degraded all genera which can only be 

 separated when both sexes are known, or by the male sex 

 apart from the female, to the rank of sections (or subgenera). 



Antennal structure frequently differs widely in species 

 which unquestionably are very nearly related, as, for instance, 

 in Bombycia, the males of B. viminalis having the antenna} 

 strongly pectinated, whereas in B. persimilis^ which has the 

 same pattern and coloration, they are serrate-fasciculated. 



The genus Cosmophildj according to Guenee, has the 





