-98- 



Lagoidae we include La'^oa and its allies, and also Dahcn'dcs, 

 which differs in many respects, probably representing another 

 family. We find P/irvi:;a;iidia to be a true Dioptid. ^\'e have 

 separated the l.acosoniidx' from the Psychidii: anti also from the 

 Drepanulithi;, believing that the absence of the frenulum suffici- 

 ently distinguishes them from both ; while the different wing 

 shape and venation and the t)ccurrence of winged females further 

 separate them from the Psychidae, which they so much resemble 

 in the habits of the larvce. We have not restricted the Saturniidai 

 to the narrow limits proposed by Prof. Smith ; but follow Mr. 

 Kirby in this instance. The "Bombycidge" of the list are included 

 under the Lasiocampidte and we recognize two subfamilies. Of 

 the genera under " Heterogynids," Pciithetria is a Lithosian ; 

 Thia is unknown to us, but may belong to the Microlepidoptera, 

 where we also refer Octa. Following Mr. Kirby, we have not 

 separated the Nycteolidre* from the Lithosiidoe. 



We hope the present revision will be of service in the determ- 

 ination of the North American species of Bombyces, and may save 

 laborious reference to scattered ]iublications. With this object in 

 view, we have included brief descriptions of all the species, which 

 appear here together for the first time. For full descriptions we 

 must refer to the original papers. 



We are indebted to Mr. W. F. Kirby for his valuable "Cata- 

 logue of Lepidoptera Heterocera" upon which we have relied to a 

 great extent, except in the matter of synonymy of species. \\c 

 are also indebted to Prof. J. B. Smith for friendly criticism and to 

 Mr. E. L. Graef, Mr. Wm. Beutenmuller, Mr. S. Henshaw, Mrs. A. 

 T. Slosson and Dr. A. S. Packard for the opportunity to examine 

 certain specimens. 



* Local forms, breeding true to type, but tliffering to no great 

 extent from the ground form, are classed as races, whether • 

 connected by intergrading forms in the intermediate territory or ' 

 not. Since the difference between a local race and local species _ ; 

 may be a matter of degree only, the forms are placed according 

 to our present judgment and may be differently classed by t)ther 

 authors. We recognize seasonally dimorphic forms in a few 

 instances. All the varieties referred to by us are supposed to in- 

 habit the same territory as the typical form and not to breed true 

 to type. We have not considered aberrations as distinct from [ 



varieties. ' 



_ — __ — I 



* Earias obliquata Hy. Edw. has been wrongly referred to this genus. The • 

 moth appears to be a Pyraiid allied to Epipaschia. ( 



