518 PEOF, J. O. WESTWOOD ON THE UEAMID^. 



the representatives of the lost hasal portions of the discoidal branches, if these should 

 he considered distinct from the two series, postcostal and median. 



In Gastro])ac]ia quercifolia there is also the full complement of veins and branches 

 Plate LXXXVI. fig. 17) ; but here the binary system of the branches into postcostal 

 and median is still more marked, the branch marked C3. being as completely a 

 branch of the median vein as either c 2 or c 3 (in which respect it agrees with Papilio), 

 whilst Bo« is as completely a portion of the postcostal series as B 5 or B 4, the latter of 

 which will be seen to arise at the upper extremity of the discoidal cell. In Gastr. 

 expansa, b 4 arises beyond the cell, whilst the basal portion of b 2 and B 3 ai'ises at 

 the extremity of the cell (where B 4 arises in Q. quercifoUa) ; so that the first postcostal 

 branch (b 1) is the only branch arising from the upper margin of the discoidal cell. 



The only other Bombycideous insects which I shall here notice belong to the singular 

 genus Epicojieia, Westw. (Arc. Ent. i. pi. 5), founded upon certain Indian moths which 

 have entirely the appearance of some species oi Papilio. The late Mr. Edward Double- 

 day, to whom I applied for his opinion on the relations of this singular genus, ob- 

 served "that it seems to partake of the characters oi Papilio, Urania, and that group 

 of Bombyces to which B. tuna belongs. The last-named species has no bridle to the 

 wings, no maxillae ; and there is some resemblance in the neuration of the wings. But 

 I must confess that I see no real connexion between the two insects. My impression 

 is that it must be nearer the Uranioe, some of which, in form, nearly resemble it ; but 

 all these have maxillse and the discoidal cell of the posterior wings open, and two pairs 

 of spines, I think, to the posterior tibise. The one middle spine to the anterior tibiae 

 is found in some Uranioe." 



In Epicopeia polydora 2 (Plate LXXXVI. fig. 18) we have the full complement 

 of the veins of the fore wings arranged almost as in Saturnia certhia, except that the 

 second and third postcostal branches arise from the front margin of the fourth branch, 

 which, as well as the fifth branch, arises from the upper extremity of the discoidal cell, 

 which emits the two discoidal branches and the third median branch from its truncated 

 extremity, as in Saturnia certhia. The hind wings are very remarkable, terminating in 

 a very broad tail, which is traversed by all the three branches of the postcostal veui. 



Although the relationship of Epicopeia with Urania, pointed out by Mr. Doubleday, 

 does not appear to me so strong as it did to him, the nearer relationship of the fonner 

 being, as it seems to me, towards certain of the Chalcosideous Bombycidae, it is impos- 

 sible not to see that we have in all these insects a proof of the stronger relationship of 

 Urania with the Bombyces than with any other of the Heterocera. 



It remains to notice the structure of these insects in their preparatory states, which 

 equally supports the opinion advanced above, that the group is to be referred to the 

 great division of the Bombyces. The transformations of Urania boisduvalii {U. fernan- 

 dinw, MacL.) are fully described by Mr. MacLeay in his memoir in the first volume of 

 the ' Transactions ' of this Society. The larva cannot, from his account and figure, 



