INTRODUCTION. 



of Guenc-e, viz., Tarachiui, agreeing generally with Acontidce, Bdv. ; 

 Cerathosiini ; Eustrotiini, agreeing with Erastridce, Gn. and Anthophilidce, 

 Bdv., combined ; and Hyblceini. 



Of the Brephides, H.-S. (Phalenoidce, Gn.), Grote writes : " The 

 Brephince are a small group with a Northern distribution, looking like 

 small Catocalce, but more hairy, differing from the Noctuince by the 

 absence of simple eyes, and the accessory cell of the fore wings, while 

 the costal vein of the secondaries springs free from the base of the 

 wing " (' Check List of North American Noctuidse,' 1890, p. 44). 



Guenee's large sub-division NOCTILE-QUADRIFID^E is divided into 

 eight sub-classes, of which, in Britain we have no representatives in 

 the Sericece, Extensa?, Patulce and Pseudo-Deltoidce. Those in which we 

 have representatives being Variegatce, Intrusce, Limbatce and Serpentince. 

 Grote calls the QUADRIFID^: " the geometriform Noctuidce or the 

 Catocalince" He then adds " Primarily this family falls at two 

 groups, the Catocalini (agreeing with Guenee's Limbatce) and the 

 Pheocymini. 



Of the sub-class Variegatce, we have only members of one family 

 in Britain viz., Plusidce. Guenee, however, included Gonopteridce as a 

 doubtful family of this class, but it is well located elsewhere. 

 Staudinger, as I have before pointed out, places Plusidce before the 

 Heliothidce and is followed in this by Grote. The Gonopteridce with 

 its anomalous genus Scoliopteryx (Gonoptera), is placed by Staudinger 

 between the Orthosidce and Xylinidce where I also have placed it. 

 Grote retains the group, but calls it Plusiini and writes of its characters 

 as follows : " The thorax is rather short and square but globose above, 

 and with hairy, somewhat silky covering, which forms posteriorly, an 

 abrupt tuft. The eyes are naked, lashed in Plusia unlashed in Telesilla. 

 The wings are somewhat pointed with full external margins. The 

 tibias are unarmed. The ornamentation of Plusia is remarkable for 

 the silvery or golden marks or sheeny patches. The American species 

 are forty-two in number exceeding the European thirty-eight ; but 

 probably more remain to be described with us." ............ " EeTirensia 



is a Californian type, allied to Habrostola ; and Deva, an eastern and 

 western genus, as closely allied to Plusia " (' Canadian Entomologist,' 

 vol. xxii., pp. 70-71). 



We now come to Guenee's Limbatce, which should, in my opinion, 

 have followed Variegatce, instead of the Intrusce doing so as arranged 

 by Guenee. Of the five families into which it is divided by Guenee 

 we have representatives of two in Britain, the Catephidce and Catocalidce, 

 the whole group being placed by Staudinger between Guenee's 

 Serpentince and the Toxocampidce. 



Grote neglects the consideration of the Catepkidce, but calls the 

 Catocalidce of Guenee Catocalini, and adds that : " The Ophiderincc 

 and Toxocampince of my ' Check List ' are probably not to be separated 

 from this tribe " (' Canadian Entomologist,' vol. xxii., p. 145). I am 

 not quite certain whether the connection \\ith the Ophiderince is not 

 rather one of superficial than structural characters, and I certainly 

 think the Toxocampidce are nearer to the true Delto'ides than to the 

 normal Catocalidce, in fact, there can be no doubt of the affinity of the 

 Iarva3 of the Toxocampidce with the Deltoides, which would also tend to 

 make me give it a position very near the latter group. Grote's second 

 division Pheocymmi contains only two European genera, Pericyma, 



