123 



antennae, which are "more or less distinctly dilated towards 

 extremity." Antennae so dilated, and hooked also at the 

 apex, are certainly prsent in such genera as Burgerui, 

 Comocrus, rhalaenoides, Agarista, and others. But in 

 Cruriri, which is closely allied to these genera, and has the 

 antennae similarly hooked, it needs an effort of the imagin- 

 ation to discover any dilatation. Again in Argyrolepidia, 

 which Hampson includes in the Agaristidae, the antennae are 

 no more dilated than in Idaltma, which he excludes from 

 the family. If Hampson's criterion were correct the species 

 tetrapleura^ which he makes a Phalaenoides, would have to 

 be excluded also, for its antennae are filiform. The antennal 

 differences, where real, are of no more than generic value, 

 and to make them a basis of family distinction is an artificial 

 device, which widely separates genera, which are naturally 

 very closely allied. Hence it is that the Australian species 

 are found in Hampson's work partly in the third and partly 

 in the ninth volume. 



I am unable even to define the group as a subfamily, 

 although it is certainly a natural group, and should be treated 

 as such. Tlie alternative would drive us to place Eutricho- 

 'pidia, with its hairy eyes, in the Melanchrinae, and Cruria, 

 with its spiny tibiae, in the Agrotinae, which would be alto- 

 gether unnatural. 



1. Abdomen stout, with dense lateral tufts 



of long hair from apical segments ... 10. TIecafesia 

 Abdomen normal, without long lateral 

 tufts 2. 



2. Forewinor with 8, 9, 10 stalked from areole 3. 

 Forewing with 10 arising separately from 



areole ". . 5. 



3. Posterior tibiae hairy on dorsum 2. Comocrus 



Posterior tibiae smooth-scaled 4. 



4. Posterior tibiae spiny 3. Cruria 



Posterior tibiae without s])ines 1. Burgena 



o. Eyes hairy 4. Enfr'icliopidia 



Eyes not hairy 6. 



6. Abdomen with dorsal crests on 3 or 4 



segments 7. 



Alxlomen not crested, or on first segment 

 only 8. 



7. Frons with truncate conical prominence 



with raised rim at apex 9. Periopta 



Ffons with bluntly pointed conical pro- 

 minence 8. Argyrolepidia 



8. Frons with truncate conical prominence 



with raised rim at apex 9. 



Frons not so formed 13. 



9. Posterior tibiae hairy on dorsum 10. 



Posterior tibiae smooth 11. 



