8 GROTE—THE DESCENT OF THE PIERIDS. [Jan. 5, 
Attacid genera are more modern than the diurnals, which they 
thus clearly outrank. Now the indications of the base of the 
median system, the presence of cross-veins, the forking of the 
radius of hind wings, are primitive or Tineid characters, and the 
conclusion is here again irresistible, the diurnals are nearer to the 
Tineid trunk of the lepidopterous tree than the Attacinz, because 
they retain more generalized features in the neuration, I think 
these considerations should divert the general prepossession that 
the butterflies are the final product of the lepidopterous tree, or 
that this corresponds in reality with Dr. Packard’s plan, which, 
with all allowances, appears to be still governed by this idea. 
The obstruction to proceeding further with the stem of the Hes- 
periades arises from that extensive group which Dr. Dyar has dis- 
cussed under the name Bombycides (Agrotides), Proc. Bost. Soc. 
NV. H., 27, 127-147, 1896. I do not think sufficient attention has 
been paid to Dr. Dyar’s separation of the higher moths into dis- 
tinct phyletic groups upon the characters offered by the position of 
the larval tubercles. If these characters hold, and the groups es- 
tablished ‘by Dr. Dyar are separate and monophyletic branches of 
the lepidopterous tree, an immense stride toward our comprehen- 
sion of the order will have been made. The neuration offers, in 
the Sphingides, Saturniades, Bombycides, no exclusive character, 
nothing to absolutely limit these groups or to satisfactorily distin- 
guish them from the Hesperiades. These latter are open to the 
moths generally, but, if Dr. Dyar’s characters hold, I can now 
sweep aside this vast branch of the Bombycides and account for 
correspondencies by the fact that the branches have the same origin, 
but an independent and parallel growth. We need not pass through 
the Bombycides on the way to the root of the Hesperiades, nor could 
we very well, seeing they are now about equally specialized. 
In the same way we may neglect the Sphingides and Saturniades. 
Arriving in this way at the Tineides, we find in the Tortricidz a 
family with partially concealed larve, in neuration and wing form 
having marked affinities with the Skippers. Beyond these are the 
related Cosside, with concealed, grublike larvz, the neuration 
generalized in that the median system is complete. Both these 
families have the thinner basal loop to the second anal vein of 
primaries in common with other moths. While there may be no 
positive proof, it seems to me probable that these families of Tinei- 
