47 



CHAPTER VI. 

 Systematic synopsis of the setal pattern of caterpillars. 



Not much harmony is to be found in the classification of the 

 Lepidoptcni. Some of the latter-day writers reject the sub-order 

 of the Jugatae, but even if this sub-order is accepted, the sub- 

 order of the Frenatae remains an extraordinarily difficult problem 

 for the systematists. 



The principal newer systems are: 



Chapman (1893), especially founded on the pupae. 



CoMSToCK (1893), especially founded on the wing-venation. 



Dyar (1894 and 1894 6), especially based on ihe setal pattern 

 of caterpillars. 



Packard (1895), starts from the three preceding systems and 

 the geogpraphical distribution. 



Spuler (1895 and 1910), especially founded on the wing-venation. 



Handlirsch (1908), based on palaeontological data and on the 

 preceding systems. 



I have followed the last-mentioned writer, because he has worked 

 into his system all the previous ones and because I think that 

 the palaeontological data have been neglected too much by the 

 entomologists. Handlirsch's great knowledge of the morphology, 

 embryology and palaeontology of the insects, makes him an 

 authority deserving confidence. Therefore I have not followed 

 ScHARp's manual, as I did in my preliminary note (1916). 



As far as possible I have mentioned the literature with each 

 family. It is more than possible that I have not noticed some of 

 the very scattered articles in the entomological periodicals. I there- 

 fore wish to draw attention to the fact that owing to the war, I 

 have not been able to procure some of the foreign periodicals. 

 In the first sub-order I have explained the data known to me 

 rather in detail, because in this way I hoped to assist in the 

 solution of one of the most difficult problems in the systematic 

 arrangement of Lepidoptera. 



My work, however, would become too comprehensive if I had 

 tried to do the same for all the families. 



