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A few words in conclusion, even at the expense of seeming prolix : 

 "What is the true position of the Ptekophoeid^; ? We British ento- 

 mologists are apt to take the position of groups for granted, and to 

 create imaginary links of exotic species to fill up any gap however 

 wide ; the leap, therefore, from the Nepticulidce to the Pterophoridce, 

 has, for this reason, passed unquestioned, yet surely no one could really 

 believe this to be a true sequence in classification. In the list above, 

 Chrysocorys is classed amongst the plumes, and if this be its true posi- 

 tion (and for such opinion I have the high authority of Mr. Stainton 

 to back me), it is certainly a strong connecting link to the Tineina, yet 

 my own views of the affinities of the Pterophori would be, in spite of 

 this, that they were rather an aberrant group of the Pyralidce than of 

 the Tineina (that is, taking the term Pyralidce in its widest meaning), 

 and of these, that the genus Ghilo was their nearest ally : but there is 

 so much that is anomalous in the whole group that this is said rather 

 with the view of opening a difficult question than of giving a positive 

 opinion. Heterodox as it must appear, I have often dared to think 

 that there was something essentially wrong in our classification of the 

 Lepidoptera ; as a large group they stand between Trichoptera on the 

 one hand, and either Diptera or Hymenoptera on the other. "With the 

 TricJioptera we have at least two true points of connection, namely, 

 through the Psychidce, and again through Cataclysta and Acentropus : 

 on the other side the relationship is more doubtful ; yet to me, consider- 

 ing that the mandibulate mouth exists in the embryonic or larval state 

 of the Lepidoptera, and considering further how nearly the larva of the 

 Tenthredinida approach to those of Lepidoptera, the connection seems 

 more close between that group and the Hymenoptera, than the Diptera. 

 If this be so, the Sesiidce, though confessedly one of the most mimetic 

 groups among the Lepidoptera, have a true homological resemblance 

 rather than a mere mimetic analogy with Hymenoptera, and it would 

 follow almost as a corollary that iu stead of beginning with Ornithoptera, 

 Teinopalpus, and Papilio, we should commence with Trochilium, and 

 instead of finishing with the Pterophori, we should end our lists with 

 the Psychidce or Acentropus. But the reader must remember that he 

 must lay the burden of this heresy on my back, and not on that of the 

 author, whose monograph has been just brought before his notice. 



Edgbaston, Birmingham, November, 1869. 



