MEMOIES OF TUB I^fATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 87 



X._SYSTEMATIC REVISION' OF THE XOTODONTID.^, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THEIR 



TRANSFORMATIONS. 



Family NOTODONTID^ Stephens. 



BombyciteK Viv. Leiiilimir (in part) Latreille, Gen. Crnst. et Insect, iv, ]i. 217, 180it. 

 Dimvi-plKr (in part), J'lilodoiilis, Aiidrur, et Melnhipluv lliibn., Vevi., pp. 145, 1-17, 102, 1816. 

 NulocloiitUla: Steph., 111. Brit. Ins. Hanst. ii, p. 10, 1828. 

 Nolodontiv (in part) Newman, Sphinx vespiformis, p. 42, 1832. 



(in part) Dnucan, in Brewster's Ediu. Encycl., ix, p. 131, 1833. 

 Notodontites (in part) Newm., Entomologist, May, ii, p. 383, 1834. 

 Notodontides (in part) Hoisd. Ind.Mf^th. Lep. Eur., p. 84, 1840. 



Vicraiiuridiv Notodoutidtr, et l'ij(j(vrida; Dnponch., Cat. M6th. Lep. Eur., pp. 8G, 89, 95, 1846. 

 DicrunurUH Stepli., Cat. Brit. Lep. Br. Mns., p. 38, 18.50. 

 riilodontes Pack., Proc. Ent. Soc. Phil., iii, p. 351, 1864. 



Grote, New Check List N. Amer. Sloths, p. 18, 1882. 

 Kotodontidw Smith, List Le]>. Bor. .\mer., p. 29, 1891. 



Kirby, Syn. Cat. Lep. Het., i, p. 559, 1892. 



Dyar. Can. Knt., xxv, p. 121, May, 1893. 



Neumoegen and Dyar, Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc. xxi, June, 1894, pp. 179-208. 

 Journ. N. Y. Ent. Soc, Sept., 1894, pp. 112-117. 



Family characters. — Head squarish in trout (when denuded), but in nature densely scaled, 

 ■often crested between the antenna'. Clypeus large, subscutellate in shape, suddenly narrowing 

 toward the labral region, which is slightly bent down; above, the clypeus is bioad, the margin or 

 base being straight transversely, not hollowed out on each side for the reception of the antennfe, 

 the hole for the insertion of the latter being very shallow; the surface of the clypeus either 

 somewhat convex or with a slight median elevation, terminating in tlie labral region. The 

 epicranium and occiput both very short, occupying a very short (in a longitudinal sense) region 

 behind the antenna' and eyes. 



Base of epicranium ridged. Autenuai usually either wholly pectinated or pectinate on the 

 basal two-thirds; the joints scaled above, the branches generally six times as long as the joints; 

 in the 9 the antenna' are .simide, rarely with short pectinations. Maxilhe well developed; the 

 maxillary palpi forming small papilla at the ba.se of the maxilla. Labium indistinct, subtriangular, 

 small; the labial palpi well developed, either porrect and reaching the front, or ascending and 

 passing beyond the front (longest in Sijmtnerista). 



Thorax with a definite collar; the edge of the patagia distinct, often edged with dark scales, 

 and often a dorsal tuft. When denuded the prothorax is seen to be small, much reduced in size; 

 the me.sonotum shorter than broad; the mesoscutellum transversely subovate or lozenge-shaped; 

 the inetathora.^ above very narrow, linear (in a transverse sense); metathoracic Hanks narrow, 

 half as wide as tho.se of the mesothorax. 



Wings: Fore wings narrow, noctuiform, about half as long as wide; costa either .straight or 

 slightly convex; apex either pointed or much rounded; outer margin very oblique; inner margin 

 full near the base, with often a median tuft, the subcostal vein passing very near the costa 

 toward the apex; a subcostal cell often present; the discoidal or discal veins situated in the 

 middle of the wing. The last subcostal vein(IIl2) forms the Independent vein. There are three 

 branches of the cubital vein, and these features will enable one in difficult cases to determine 

 whether the moth is a Notodontian oi a Noctuid. 



Hind wings reaching two-thirds of the way to the end of the abdomen, attached to the fore 

 wings by a frenulum confined by a '•frenulum hook" or loop, situated on the vein; costa straight; 

 apex much rounded (compared with the Xoctuida); outer edge long, rounded, the costal vein 

 passing very near the subcostal, turning from it to the costa near the origin of the discal venules; 

 three branches of the cul)ital vein; two subcostal venules (II, IIIi). 



Legs rather short ; femora and tibia' usually densely pilose ; fore tibiai sometimes (Lophopteryx) 

 armed with a spur; hind tibia' with two pairs of stout spurs. 



