192 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [June, 



tendency to form a divided median crest, uplifted patagiae and a 

 circular, disc-shaped collar. In venation the primaries have a 

 furcate dorsal or internal vein, 5 belonging to the median series 

 and near to 4, and accessory cell often, though not universally 

 present. There is considerable variation, even within specific 

 limits, in the distribution of the veins at the end of the subcostal, 

 and even the two opposite wings of the same specimens may 

 differ to some extent. The location of vein 5, which is an essen- 

 tial point, is constant, and separates the family from the Noto- 

 dontidae. The secondaries in the typical series have the costal 

 vein sinuate, and the subcostal branched before the end of the 

 cell; in Leptina these characters are scarcely marked enough to 

 attract attention at first glance; but these are the characters of 

 venation which separate them from the Noctuidae. Vein 5 is 

 nearest to 4, as on the fore wings-. It is quite likely that the es- 

 sential family character of the Thyatiridae has escaped us thus 

 far; certainly Leptina scarcely fits into the characters drawn from 

 Bombycia or Thyatira. In our fauna we have very few species, 

 and some of these are very rare. The species grouped under 

 Bombycia in my list are certainly not congeneric, but I have 

 never had all of them together at one time for careful study. 



In the Noctuidae we have a very great diversity of appearance, 

 size and wing form, as well as a very great diversity in the form 

 and habits of the larva, and yet, up to the present time, it has 

 not proved possible to divide the family satisfactorily. The pri- 

 maries have a more or less evidently forked dorsal or internal 

 vein, vein 5 nearer to 4 than to 6, and an accessory cell present, 

 except in rare instances. The secondaries have the costal vein 

 free from the base, usually joining the subcostal close to its origin 

 and forming a small cell at the base, but never connected by a 

 transverse vein. Rarely the costal arises out of the subcostal, 

 and we then have a structure almost indistinguishable from the 

 Arctiidae. Vein 5 belongs to the median series, and is not remote 

 from 4. There are two simple internal veins. As a whole, the 

 venation is very constant, and where aberrations occur, they are 

 rarely such as to cause doubt whether or not the insect is refer- 

 able to the Noctuidae. In body structure the insects are usually 

 robust, with an approximately quadrate, convex thoracic dorsum, 

 a distinct, though not prominent head, and a proportionate, cy- 

 lindric or cylindriconic abdomen, ordinarily not extending beyond 



