264 Transactions — Zoology. 



As the entomologists of Australia and New Zealand do not seem 

 thoroughly to comprehend why the Nymphalidce (and not the Pajjilionida:) 

 are now placed at the head of the butterflies, we shall here quote from Mr- 

 Bates's admirable paper in the Journal of Entomology for 1864, and they 

 will then see that this renowned lepidopterist has arranged the five families 

 in a perfectly gradational and natural series. He has not followed Linn^us 

 in choosing the PapilionidcB to commence with because they are big, and 

 the Hesperiidcs to conclude with because they are Jittle, but he has studied 

 the structure of each family from the larval to the perfect condition.* 



"Family 1. Nymphalid^. Front legs imperfect in both sexes; in the 

 female wanting the tarsal claws ; in the male the fore tarsi quite rudimentary, 

 consisting of one or two spineless joints. Pupa suspended freely by the 

 tail. 



a. Lower disco-cellular nervule of the hind wing perfect. 



Subfamily 1. Danaincz. Larvae smooth, with fleshy processes. Fore-wing 

 submedian nervure of the imago double at its origin. (This subfamily 

 includes the greater part of the Heliconidcs of authors). 



Subfamily 2. Satyrince. Larvae with bifid tails, spineless. Palpi of the 

 imago generally compressed and fringed with long hair- scales. 



Subfamily 3. Brassolince. Larv» generally with bifid tails, spineless. 

 Hind wing of the imago furnished with a prediscoidal cell. 



Subfamily 4. AcrcBincs. Larvae studded with branched spines. Palpi of 

 the imago thick and scantily clothed with hair. 



Subfamily 5. HeKcoiiince. Larvae studded with branched spines. Palpi 

 of the imago clothed with fine scales, and liaii-y in front. 



b. Lower discocellular nervule, at least of the hind wing, more or less 

 atrophied. 



Subfamily 6. NymphalincB. 



Family 2. Ebycinid.^. Six perfect legs in female; four in male; the 

 anterior tarsi consisting only of one or two joints and spineless. 



Subfamily 1. Lihytlicein . Pupa suspended freely by the tail. 



Subfamily 2. Stalachtince. Pupa secured rigidly by the tail in an in- 

 clined position without girdle. 



Subfamily 3. Erycinince. Pupa recumbent on a leaf or other object, 

 and secured by the tail and a girdle across the middle. 



Family 3. Lyc^nid^. Six perfect legs in female; four in male; the 

 anterior tarsi wanting one or both of the tarsal claws, but densely sjpined 

 beneath. Pupa secured by the tail and a girdle across the middle. 



Family 4. Papilionid^. Six perfect legs in both sexes. Pupa secured 



* Compare Scudder " On the Classification of Butterflies, " Trans. Am. Ent. Soc, 

 1877, pp. 69-80. 



