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oO 
NATURE 
[Apri 8, 1897 
NEW WORKS ON THE CLASSIFICATION 
OF LEPIDOPTERA}! 
HE satisfactory classification of Lepidoptera has 
always been regarded as one of the most difficult 
problems in entomology, and many authors (chiefly 
English and American) have recently been working at 
the subject, and trying to throw fresh light upon it from 
the supposed lines of descent of the insects, and from a 
critical and comparative study of their earlier stages. 
It is, however, somewhat to be regretted that most of 
the systems follow very different lines, and therefore 
arrive at very divergent results. 
sequence of the now generally recognised impossibility 
of arranging natural objects in a linear series which shall 
represent their real affinities ; and in due time we may 
hope that some compromise may be arrived at, which 
will reconcile the opposing systems so far as to lead to 
a fairly satisfactory and uniform result. 
The first book on our list professes to give a more com- 
plete and trustworthy account of our few British butter- 
flies (a theme which we should have thought was worn 
almost threadbare by this time) than has heretofore 
appeared. However, Mr. Tutt may fairly claim to have 
produced a book in which the early stages of the insects 
are dealt with in greater detail than in almost any previous 
English work not devoted exclusively to larvae, except 
Newman’s ; and he has also fully enumerated the varieties 
of our British species in all parts of their range, though 
he rarely alludes to allied continental species, even if 
reputed British. His account of the systematic exter- 
mination of such species as JZelét@a athalia and 
Apatura tris (both common, quite close to London, not 
so very many years ago) will be read with interest and 
pain by every right-thinking entomologist. In some 
cases, his information is hardly up to date, as, for in- 
stance, with respect to the history of Chrysophanus 
dispar. Mr. Tutt’s preliminary chapters are devoted to the 
early stages of butterflies, and to instructions on collect- 
ing, rearing, and preserving. But here, too, our author 
seems to write exclusively for Brit/sh entomologists, for 
the continental high setting (now coming into use in 
England among collectors of exotic Lepidoptera) is not 
even mentioned. 
Mr. Tutt’s classification does not depart much from the 
Batesian system, except that he follows an ascending 
instead of the usual descending system, commencing 
with the esferid@, and ending with the Satyride. He 
has adopted the American system of “superfamilies,” 
ending in “-ides,” of which he admits two, the Aes- 
perides and the Pafilionides, which he divides into 
families ending in “ -idz,” subfamilies, ending in “ -ina,” 
and “tribes” ending in “idi.” 
The second work on our list, by one of the leading 
American entomologists, though dealing chiefly with but 
a single family of North American moths, the JVo/o- 
dontid@, includes an elaborate introduction, in which the 
supposed descent, the structure and affinities of the 
various families of Lepédopéera are discussed, with special 
reference to their early stages. The plan of Dr. Packard’s 
researches may be gathered from the following remarks : 
“Until within a few years the majority of descriptions 
of caterpillars have been prepared simply for the purpose 
of identification, or for taxonomical uses, and without 
reference to the philosophic or general zoological signi- 
1“ British Butterflies, being a popular handbook for young students and 
collectors.” By J. W. Tutt, F.E.S., Editor of Tie Entomologist's Record 
and Journal of Variation. 8vo. Pp. 476; pls. 10, and woodcuts. (London : 
George Gill and Sons, 1896.) 
“Monograph ,of the Bombycine Moths of America North of Mexico, 
including their Transformations and Origins of the Larval Markings and 
Armature.” Part i. Family 1. Notodontide. By Alpheus S. Packard. 
(National Academy of Sciences, vol. vii.) 4to. Pp. 2913 pls. xlix.; maps 2 
(1895.) 
** Die Saturniiden (Nachtpfauenaugen).”’ Von A. Radcliffe Grote, A.M. 
(Mittheilu aus dem Roemer-Museum, Hildesheim. Nr. 6, Juni 1896.) 
Pp. 30; pls. iil. 
NO. 143 
, VOL. 55 | 
This is only the con-. 
ficance of these changes. The transformations of some of 
the European Sphingidz have been very carefully worked. 
out by Weismann, and also by Poulton ; but it is believed 
that the life-histories of the lower, more generalised 
families usually referred to the Bombyces, especially of 
the Notodontidee, Ceratocampide, Saturniide, Hemi- 
leucidze, Cochliopodide, and Lasiocampide will bring out 
still more striking and valuable results, inasmuch as they, 
or forms near them now extinct, are believed to be closely 
similar to the stem forms from which many of the higher 
Lepidoptera have probably been evolved. 
“The aim, therefore, in such studies should be : 
“(1) To treat the larvee as though they were adult, 
independent animals, and to work out their specific and 
generic as well as family characters. 
“(2) To trace the origin of mimetic and protective 
characters, and to ascertain the time of larval life when 
they are assumed, involving 
“(3) The history of the development of the more 
specialised setze (hairs), spines, tubercles, lines, spots,. 
and other markings. 
“(4) To obtain facts regarding the ontogeny of our 
native species and genera which, when added to what we- 
know of the life-histories of European, Asiatic and South, 
American Bombyces, may lead to at least a partial com- 
prehension of the phylogeny of the higher Lepidoptera, 
viz. those above the so-called Micro-Lepidoptera.” 
It is really the immense amount of detail which renders 
it so difficult to arrive at a correct classification of 
animals. In the case of Lefzdoptera, it is comparatively 
easy to compare egg with egg, pupa with pupa, and 
imago with imago; but we should then only arrive at a 
very superficial knowledge of the species ; for the cater- 
pillars moult several times, and their structure also differs 
very much in these various stages, and we can only 
arrive at correct conclusions by comparing each of the 
corresponding stages ; and it is frequently the earliest 
of these which throw most light on the affinities of the 
species. Thus, to take our well-known British swallow- 
tail butterfly as an example, the very young larva is set 
with fleshy tubercles, like the full-grown larvae of 
Ornithoptera, and other exotic forms belonging to the 
same family. 
In the special part of his work Dr. Packard has de- 
scribed the North American Wo/odontide in all their 
stages, and has not only given illustrations (mostly plain) of 
the moths themselves, but has added a series of beauti- 
fully executed coloured drawings-of the larvee of numerous 
species in their various stages, special attention being 
given to the earlier ones. Plates of neuration, and maps 
showing the geographical distribution of many species, are 
also added. 
To return to the Introduction, we find sections on the 
mode of evolution of the bristles, spines, and tubercles of 
Notodontian and other caterpillars ; on the incongruence 
between larval and adult characters ; on inheritance of 
characters acquired by larve ; geographical distribution ; 
phylogeny ; classification; and nomenclature of wing- 
veins. &c. 
The enormous mass of matter (largely original) which 
Dr. Packard has brought together, makes it difficult to 
discuss his work in detail. But we may notice one or 
two points of special interest. His researches have led 
him to the conclusion that the Lepidoptera originated 
from some probably extinct form intermediate between 
the Panorpide and the Trichoptera ; and he suggests that 
the earliest type of lepidopterous larva was allied to some 
Tineoid feeding on low herbage on land, not being a 
miner or sack-bearer, as these are evidently secondary 
adaptive forms. Some of the larve figured exhibit very 
remarkable appendages in their early stages, which dis- 
appear after the first or second moult. Among the most 
curious are the huge branching “antlers” on the pro- 
thoracic segments of the larvee of different species of the 
