74 INTRODUCTION. 



into a corresponding error, by taking the peculiari- 

 ties of the caterpillar and metamorphoses too much 

 into account, to the entire neglect of the mature 

 forms. The most remarkable of this description is 

 that of Dennis and Schiffermuller, published anony- 

 mously at Vienna in 1776, founded exclusively on 

 the caterpillar. It attracted little attention in this 

 country till a comparatively recent period, when 

 considerable prominence was given to it by Dr. 

 Horsfield, who adopted a similar method, and ap- 

 plied it to the Lepidoptera of Java. Nearly all the 

 groups, indicated and named by the authors above 

 mentioned, have since been established as genera. 

 The following is a view of their system, as far as it 

 applies to sphinges and moths, with the names of 

 the modern genera attached.* 



Sphinx is divided into seven families : — 



A. Larvae acrocephalae. Smerinthus ocellatus. 



B amplocephalae. Sphinx convolvuli. 



C maculatae. Dielephila Euphorbia. 



D opthalmicae. Metopsilus celerio. 



E elongatae. Macroglossa stellatarum. 



F subpilosae. Sesia apiformis. 



G phalaeniformes. Zygaena JMpendulce. 



Bombyx is divided into twenty families : — 



1. Lame with Sixteen Feet. 

 A. Larvae sphingiformes. Endromis versicolors 

 B verticillatae. Saturnia Pyri. 



* See West-wood's Intro, to Modern Class, of Insects, vol. ii. 

 p. 326, 



