121 



Acontianae, leaving the Catocalina© and Plusianae to be con- 

 sidered at a future date, in conjunction with the Noctuinae 

 and Hypeninae. 



The only subfamily not represented in Australia is the 

 Mominae. Of those here dealt with I can give not only a 

 census of the known species, but also a rough estimate of the 

 percentage that they bear to the whole known fauna: — 





No. 



Per cent. 





No. 



Per cent 



Agaristinae . 



. 37 



15-5 



Erastrian^ae 



. 120 



10 



Agrotinae 



. 48 



4 



Eutelianae 



. 9 



5 



Melanchrinae . 



. 45 



4-5 



Stictopterinae 



9 



8 



Cucullianae 



. 7 



1 



Sarrothripinae 



53 



16 



Acronyctinae . 



. 146 



6 



Acontianae 



. 35 



11 



The total number of 509 species represents about 7 per 

 cent, of the world fauna. The Agaiistinae and Sarrothripinae 

 are very largely represented in Australia; the Erastrianae 

 and Acontianae a.re well represented ; the other groups only 

 to a moderate or small extent. The groups which predominate 

 in the Palaearctic regions, and in the temperate zone, are 

 less developed here; while those of the Oriental region have 

 spread across the tropics into the northern part of our con- 

 tinent in relatively large numbers. 



The normal neuration of the f orewings is as follows : — 

 The second anal is weakly developed and sometimes (but by 

 no means always) does not anastomose with the first anal 

 owing to obsolescence, 2 arises from about §, 3, 4, and 5 

 from near lower angle of cell, 6 from upper angle or from 

 slightly below, an areole is present from which 8, 9 are always 

 stalked, 7 connate with them or closely approximated, rarely 

 short-stalked, 10 separate, 11 from about middle of cell. In 

 the hindwings 2 arise? from about J, 3 and 4 are approximated 

 or connate from lower angle of cell, 6, 7 connate from upper 

 angle, 8 anastomoses with cell near base. In both wings the 

 second branch of the cubital (usually known as 1 c.) is absent. 

 In the hindwings vein 5 is in the Agaristinae, Agrotinae, 

 Melanchrinae, Cucullianae, and Acronyctinae normally from 

 the middle of the cell, and very weakly developed; in the 

 other subfamilies it is from near the lower angle, and more 

 or less strong. 



In the forewing the slight variations in the origin of 

 6 and 7 do not appear of generic value. Rarely, as in Aifeta, 

 6 arises from the areole. The separation of 10 is more con- 

 stant, a-nd should it become connate with 8, 9 this may 

 usually be depended on as a generic character ; this is in fact 

 the first step towards the obsolescence of the areole. In the 

 forewing 3 and 4 are very rarely stalked, but this occurs less 



