198 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. [Proc. 3D Ser. 



been assigned to independent generic rank, while apparently- 

 important venational differences have not been allowed to 

 interfere with the assignment of several species to a common 

 genus. 



By a careful inspection of the venational condition shown 

 by all the so far known North American species (in the case 

 of Ble^harocera ancilla and Lifoneiira yoseniite only the 

 descriptions and figures of the wings were had for refer- 

 ence), it has seemed to be not difficult to suggest a 

 classification based on these conditions, which is not open 

 at least to the grave defects of a classification based on 

 characters which are seen (in the newly-found forms) to 

 vary with the sexes in a single species. As this revision 

 tends to reduce the number of genera rather than increase 

 it, its author cannot be charged with anxiety to revise for 

 the sake of making new names ! As a matter of fact, it is 

 but following the excellent suggestion of Osten-Sacken, 

 made in his revision (1. c, p. 160) in words as follows: 

 "To those who will continue the work on Liponeuridoe 

 [=Blepharocerid^] I would humbly recommend, as a 

 result of many years of experience, not to multiply the 

 genera unnecessarily. * * * When in such decadent 

 groups we multiply the genera too much they in the end 

 become all monotypical, and thus baffle the pursuit of 

 classification, as the survey of their mutual affinities becomes 

 more difficult. The true end of classification is an easier 

 survey of affinities, a temporary aid to the memory." 



The changes suggested here are, briefly, that Osten- 

 Sacken's g^nns Bibtocepkala, erected for the single Colorado 

 species B. grandis, be widened (by cutting out some of the 

 specific characters of B . grandis included in the definition 

 of the genus) so as to admit the new species comstocki 

 (California) and doanei (California), described in this 

 paper, and von Roder's species elegantulus (Colorado); 

 that the genus Blepharocera be limited to and include all 

 forms which have no distinct radius 2 (anterior branch of 

 second vein) and which have no media-cubital cross-vein 

 (cross-vein connecting veins four and five) ; and that 



