PEEFACE. 



The subject of Vol. XII. of the 'Catalogue of Moths' is the 

 classification of part of the Noctuid subfamily Catocalince. The 

 remaining portion of the subfamily, together with the small sub- 

 families Momince and Phi/tomatrhne, will appear in Vol. XIII., in 

 which the ''• Key to the Genera " and the " Phylogeny of the 

 Catocalince" will be reprinted. 



The Catocalince are represented in the present volume by 

 63 genera and 643 species, and are characterized as follows ; — 

 Vein 5 of the hind wing is fully developed and arises from close to 

 the lower angle of the cell ; the eyes are smooth and not overhung 

 by " cilia " ; the mid tibiae are always spiued, and the fore and hind 

 tibiae may also be similarly armed. 



The subfamily is a modification of the great Quadrifid section 

 of the Noctuidce, many . of its most divergent types having close 

 parallels in the very large subfamily JVoctuince, which will be 

 classified immediately after the Phytometrince ; it is fairly evenly 

 distributed in the temperate and tropical Zones, but has few Arctic 

 or Alpine forms. 



Sir George Hampson has to acknowledge the assistance which 

 he has received, mostly from those whose help has been referred 

 to in earlier volumes of the Catalogue, by the loan of types and 



