{October 1884. BULLETIN BROOKLYN ENTOM. SOC. VOL. VI. 81 
An introduction to a classification of the 
N. A. LEPIDOPTERA. 
(Continued from p. 74.) 
It has been suggested that not all students understand the use of a 
tabular synopsis such as the following; a few words of explanation may 
not be out of place therefore. 
Suppose an unknown moth to come to hand; to ascertain its fa- 
mily, reference is had to the table. The first character made use of is 
the number of veins. If your insect has 12 in each wing’ it of course is 
a Hepiahd. If the wings are tolerably equal, and more than 8 veined, 
you find the number 24 at the end of the line containing that character. 
That reference is to a similar number beginning a line, and turning to 
No. 24 we find only a single family under it, and to that your insect 
must belong. _ Assume however that you find ‘‘Wings not equal, secon- 
daries with no more than 8 veins.”—2. Refer to 2, beginning a line, 
and you find the antenna used to separate the other families into three 
groups. Suppose the antenne are not clavate or clubbed at tip. The 
reference then is to 3. ‘Turning to 3 we find that the number of dorsal 
or internal veins forms the next character. Assume that the primaries 
have but a single internal vein; the reference then is to 6. Turning to 
6 we find the presence of an oblique connecting vein to be used. 
Assume the insect has none, and you are referred to 9. At g the muzcro- 
lepidoptera are isolated. Assume that your insect has but two internal 
or dorsal veins: the reference is to 10. At 10 the presence or absence 
of the frenelum becomes important. Assume its presence, and the 
reference is to 14.. At 14 the question of whether or no the dorsal vein 
of primaries is furcate toward base, arises, and finding that it is, the 
reference is to 15. At 15 the presence or absence of ocelli becomes im- 
portant. Assume them present, and the reference is to 20. At 20 the 
subcostal vein of secondaries must be examined. Assume it free, and 
the reference is to 21. Now the position of vein 7 of secondaries deter- 
mines the family to which your insect belongs. Does it arise from, or 
before the end of the cell? Ifthe former, it is a Voctucd, if the latter, 
a Cymatophorid (Noctuo bombycid). 
I have been thus full in explaining how the table should be used 
because I have found many who did not well understand the system, 
which is yet so simple, precise and essentially complete. 
