17G THE entomologist's RECORD. 



value or weit;lit ; Grote's two genera of ( 'iis}ii(Iia are again of equal 

 weight, riz., his Ajiatcla and Hi/biiina. The subdivision of Hjihimui is, 

 therefore, of minor importance, though, as it contains a large number 

 of species, it might be convenient. The distinction between Apatda 

 and Hi/buiiia that is most fundamental, is, that the tubercles in Hi/honia, 

 in first stage, are all simple, in Ajiatcla the anterior trapezoidals (i of 

 Dyar) have more than one hair. (In Viininia all tubercles are 

 multiple-haired.) 



Ili/lxiina contains very varied forms both in larva, pupa, and 

 imago ; unfortunately the several stages, so far as is known, do not all 

 point to similar subdivisions. As Dr. Dyar's divisions are based on 

 adult larvae, I do not incline to consider them of eqvxal value to Smith's, 

 based on appendages ; but, again, though there are several types of 

 appendages in Hi/lxniia, all are not sharply defined from each other. 

 In one case there is a very definite form, riz., that represented by our 

 English )iiciian']>hala, which, at first sight, will not fall into line with 

 anything else in the genus, nor does it really ; still, it may be derived 

 from them if we suppose the harpe to be strongly developed and the 

 valve atrophied. [Setting this aside, our other English species all fall 

 into one group, having the harpe with three processes or spines more 

 or less evident. From this type, variation occurs in three directions 

 (still within the genus Hi/bojiia), into groups not represented in 

 Europe. One has the second spine largely developed and directed 

 backwards and the vah'e narrowed so as to be above the harpe. This 

 includes 17 or 20 species, of which one is loheliav. Another has the 

 third spine developed downwards like a chin {TncJiohmvJw of Grote, 

 persiiasa of Smith), and the other (Lcjiiton'iniia of Grote, Iia)iia)iu'Ii}< 

 of Smith) has apparently the second spine alone developed and situated 

 on the middle of the valve, but some of these have the appendages as 

 sharply defined from each other by the absence of intermediate forms 

 as are those of the Apatcla and the Viuiinia (PJiarctra) groups. In 

 each of these only the first spine or process is well developed, standing 

 up as a horn from the centre of the valve. In limiuia this has a 

 fairly large chitinous base representing the other spines and the rest 

 of the harpe, and it has a marked curve backwards. In Apatcla the- 

 chitinous base is less abundant, and the curve is forwards. In Pro- 

 fessor Dyar's drawings, those of fclina and fri(/i(la seem to belong 

 rather to Viiuinia (aitiiciiiiia) than to Apatcla [amcrirana) ; this is pro- 

 bably an error in judging from drawings only. Alborcnosa is retained 

 by Professor Smith in a separate genus on no other ground than its 

 coloration ; a slightly weaker tongue than some Viin'niiac, but hardly 

 than others, being the only structural character sixggested. This is 

 hardly satisfactory after a condemnation of Grote's work as " based 

 upon superficial appearance and resemblance, and not upon structure 

 or other characters of real systematic value." I am not sufficiently 

 informed as to the American species to say whether Grote has or has 

 not misplaced one or two species, but it is certain that his primary 

 divisions into Ajiatcla, Pharcira, and Hijhowa, and the sub-divisions of 

 the latter into Trirltuhmvltc fficrsuasa j, Jjcjiitdrctima f /ia)ita)iiclis j, Ciisjiidia 

 I mcijarcphala ), Jh/hmna, Tiiaena and Jnchcacra (hihcliac/ appear to 

 me to be precisely those that l')r. Smith finds himself forced to adopt, 

 and it is doulitful whether we shall get any further till the life-histories 

 of the American species are more fully describe<l. Of the 74 species 



