112 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [April, 



A NOTE ON THE SATURNIID/E. 



By Harrison G. Dyar. 



I am under obligations to Prof. Smith fot many favors, I shal^ 

 ask him to allow me to retract the term "undoubtedly," which 

 seems to have given offence, and argue the question on its merits. 



As I have shown that the gradation in the double set of pecti- 

 nations in the antennae of the Saturniidae from equally long in 

 both sexes, through the upper pectinations becoming shorter in 

 the 9 , then absent, and finally shorter in the % , the continua- 

 tion of this process would produce the structure of Hemileuca. 

 In the last genus of the Saturniidae, as limited by Prof. Smith, 

 viz., Coloradia, we have a most interesting condition, which 

 shows the correctness of my position. The second set of pecti- 

 nations is absent in the female and shortened in the male; the 

 pectinations themselves curve slightly forward, approaching the 

 structure of Hemileuca and Pseudohazis, and beginning to de- 

 part from the structure of the other genera of the Saturniidae 

 {sens Smith), where they are nearly straight. By count, the an- 

 tennae of Callosamia have 27 joints, those of Pseudohazis 48 

 joints, but those of Coloradia have 37 joints, being nearly inter- 

 mediate. Coloradia has two distinct internal veins in the secon- 

 daries, again approaching the " Hemileucidae" and differing from 

 the ' ' Saturniidae. ' ' 



Concerning the other differential characters pointed out by 

 Prof Smith, we find the same interesting condition. The eyes 

 are large, but do not reach the vertex of the head; the antennae 

 are on a prominence, and are separated by more than their own 

 diameter. 



Thus Coloradia forms an excellent connecting link between the 

 "Saturniidae" and the "Hemileucidae" of Prof. Smith, much 

 nearer in general structure to the latter, but possessing the double 

 pectinations in the male antennae. The existence of this inter- 

 grading form shows the close relation of the moths which Prof. 

 Smith would place in different families, without sufficient reason 

 as it seems to me. 



I have before me a larva which is probably that of Coloradia 

 pandora. It was received from Mr. C. A. Wiley, of Miles City, 

 Mont., to whose kindness I am indebted for it. It is covered 

 with long branching processes, tipped with spines, like those of 

 Hyperchiria, Pseudohazis and Hemileuca. The arrangement is 



