SUCCESSIVE SYSTEMS OF LEPIDOPTERA. 85 



of Theresianer." * These original observers of nature, 

 by the great attention they bestowed upon the metamor- 

 phoses of tlieir groups, opened a new field of investi- 

 gation. Without in the least detracting from the merits 

 of Ochsenheimer, lUiger, Schrank, and Fabricius, it is 

 very clear that all their groups are found in the " Vienna 

 Catalogue ; " and that these again, so far as regards the 

 British butterflies, had previously been pointed out by 

 Harris. The arrangement of the " Vienna Catalogue" 

 is entirely founded upon the variation of the larva or 

 caterpillar ; whereas that of Harris is entirely from the 

 wings of the perfect insect : yet it is an extraordinary 

 fact, that these systems, although founded upon two such 

 'different principles, are substantially the same. The 

 groups of the " Vienna Catalogue," in fact, perfectly 

 agree with those of Harris ; and this latter author has 

 the particular merit of having first pointed out, in the 

 year 1 7(J7, the genus Leucophasia, which it was left for 

 Mr. Stephens to revise in the year 1830. The only two 

 attempts that have been made to arrange the Lepido- 

 ptera according to the natural system, has been one pub- 

 lished some years ago+, and the more elaborate expo- 

 sition in Dr. Horsfield's valuable publication on the 

 insects of Java. The first of these is scarcely worth 

 repeating, and our space is too limited to admit of those 

 details necessary to explain the latter. 



(75.) All lepidopterous insects arrange themselves 

 under three primary divisions, whicli are perceptible to 

 the most inexperienced observer. jNIr. Kirby pointedly 

 insists upon this. " The obvious primary sections of 

 the Lepidoptera," argues this eminent entomologist, 

 " which have been evident to almost every one, are 

 those three which correspond with Linne's genera Pa- 

 pilio, Sphinx, and Phaltena." The first of these is 

 characterised by having the antennae terminating in a 

 mass of club {Jig- 2. a), and by flying, with few ex- 

 ceptions, during the day. The second comprise the 



* Horsf. Java Ins. p. 12. 



f Taylor's Pliitosophical Magazine for March, 1827. 



G 3 



