Apri 8, 1897 | 
NATURE 
BoE 
genus Heferocampa, which remind us of the strange ap- 
pendages exhibited by the perfect insects of some 
flomoptera. As regards classification, Dr. Packard refers 
chiefly to the writings of Dr. Chapman, Prof. Comstock, 
and Mr. Walter ; and after some criticism, he proposes 
the following scheme :— 
Sub-order I. Lepidoptera Laciniata, or Proto-Lepi- 
doptera (Eriocephala). 
Sub-order Il.- Lepidoptera Haustellata. 
I. Palzo-Lepidoptera (Micropteryx). 
II. Neolepidoptera. 
Dr. Packard’s phylogenetic tree of the last section, 
which comprises all the Lepidoptera except Micropteryx 
and Eviocephala, is suggestive. F 
He recognises ‘Six main stems, one of which, the 
Hlepialide, Mas no offshoot ; four of the others are short, 
culminating in the AZegalopyeide, Cosside, Sesiide, and 
Pyralidine respectively, while the sixth leads up from the 
Prodoxide past the Psychide and Zygenide@ , through 
the Zzneide, to the Lithostidz, whence arise--other 
branches, culminating in the Mymphalide, Sphingide, 
Geometyide, and Arctiide. i m 
_ We have said enough to indicate the immense interest 
and importance of this work, not only to all lepi-- 
dopterists, but to all who are interested in: the philosophic 
study of evolution. When will Governments or ade- 
quately supported Societies or Universities render it 
We are puzzled by the remark that the discovery of the 
larva of the Australian genus Chelepteryx may throw 
light on the position of Exdromis. Is he unaware that 
the full-grown larva of Chelepteryx, as figured by Scott, is 
covered with bristle-bearing warts, and is thus totally 
different from that of Exdromis 2 
This paper also includes an analytical table of the 
genera of Saturniid@ ; and several genera, founded on 
known species, are indicated as new. Special attention 
is paid to larvee, neuration, and antennee, in working out 
the phylogeny of the groups (of which a tentative table 
Is given), and the neuratiog and antennz are illustrated 
with woodcuts. A special f@ature of interest is formed 
by the three photographic plates—one representing 
cocoons, and the others, taken from the living insects, 
representing the positions of several of the moths in 
repose. One of these is reproduced on this page. The 
paper concludes with a revised synonymiC list of the North 
American Saturniides. 
THE ZURICH FEDERAL /POLVTECHNIC 
SCHOOL. 
RECENT number of the Revie Générale des Sciences 
contains a very interesting account of the Federal 
Polytechnic School at Ziirich. Switzerland possesses one 
other such institution, namely, that at Lausanne. 
The Federal Polytechnic School at Ziirich 
is the only institution in that country, connected 
with higher education, which depends on the 
Confederation directly. As a natural result 
the school is much richer, and has been able 
to develop more rapidly. The students are 
all day scholars, and are divided into two 
classes : the vegu/zers, that is, those who go 
through a fixed course, and the awditeurs, 
those who work chiefly in the advanced divi- 
sion. The school opened in 1855 with 228 
students. This number has increased every 
year, and in 1895 reached the total of 757. 
The courses of instruction are arranged under 
the seven following heads: (1) architecture, 
(2) civil engineering, (3) industrial mechanics, 
(4) industrial chemistry, (5) agriculture, (6) 
pedagogy, and (7) an optional course, in 
harmony with the six other divisions, which 
includes history, literature, modern languages, 
political economy, statistics, philosophy, fine 
art, and military tactics. 
Telea Polyphemus (Cramer) at rest. 
possible for similar works to Dr. Packard’s to be executed 
and published in Europe ? 
Mr. A. R. Grote, who has probably described more 
North American Lepidoptera than any other author, has 
lately taken up his abode in Germany, but has not 
therefore abandoned his interest in entomology. In the 
course of last year he published a sketch of the classi- 
fication of Lefzdoptera (partly following Comstock’s 
system), in which he recognised a “ super-family Bomby- 
cides,” divided into four families—Bombycidze, Endro- 
midz, Aglidze, and Saturniide. In the present paper 
he modifies his views on the plylogeny of these families, 
and concludes, from his own and Dr. Dyar’s observations 
on the earlier stages of the larve of Bombyx and 
Findromis, that they are allied to the Lachneide 
(Lastocampide), which is the first family of his “super- 
family” Agrotides (which includes the bulk of the 
Bombyces and Noctuz), which must now take the name 
of Bombycides, leaving the “super-family” Saturniides 
to include only the two families Saturniidze (sub-families 
Attacine, Saturniine, and Hemileucine) ; and Agliidze 
(sub-families Ag@iin@, Automerine, and Citheroniine. 
NO. 1432, VOL. 55 | 
While endeavouring to preserve the cha- 
racter of a higher technical school, the theo- 
retical instruction is also carried on as far 
as possible. The school has from the Confederation 
an annual subsidy of eight hundred thousand to nine 
hundred thousand francs, besides numerous other sub- 
sidies and revenues. With this income of over one 
million francs. not only are general expenses covered, 
but a number of additions can annually be bought. 
No money has, moreover, been spared on the erec- 
tion of the laboratories, which are very numerous and 
spacious. . F 
Fig. 1 represents the chemical school. It contains 
photographic, microphotographic, and pharmaceutical 
laboratories. The chemical analytical laboratory contains 
166 single places, or 83 double ; the double places, con- 
sisting of two tables back to back, are given to the: more 
advanced students. Adjoining this laboratory are two 
balance-rooms,a dark-room, a room for electrolysis, one 
for analyses of gases, two for work of more advanced 
students, and another for physical chemistry. The 
laboratories for industrial and analytical chemistry are 
also divided into similar rooms. f 
The astronomical observatory is shown in Fig. 2, 
the principal feature of the illustration being the 
