cinaiamenaeed 
r 
ved 
1883.] 135 [Grote, 
If. The Zhorae: the shape of the wings, their squamation and neura- 
tion; the structure of the feet, the tibix being variously spined, or armed 
with claws, or again unarmed, the tarsi which are always spinose show a 
variation in the character of the spines ; the shoulder covers or patagia may 
be either deflected or closely applied ; the collar which varies in size and 
shape. 
Ill. The Abdomen: its comparative length and form ; the male geni- 
talia which vary in shape, the female ovipositor may be protruded or not. 
teneral characters may be drawn from the vestiture and tuftings along 
the dorgal lines of the body. The clothing of the thorax varies from hairy 
to being composed wholly of flattened scales. I have also used the infra- 
clypeal plate at the base of the “ front,’’ which is variously produced and 
in Rhodosea seems slightly mesially projected. Compa rative characters 
are offered by the size of the appendages, width of clypeus, the retraction 
or projection of the head. Secondary sexual characters are to be used as 
of generic value when they are of such a nature, that if shared by both 
sexes they would be held sufficient to found a genus upon. This would 
exclude the antenns from their variability, so far asthe usual pectinations 
are concerned, but admits such abnormal male characters as are oflered in 
the antenne of the genera Renia, Syllectra, etc.; also the genitalia, upon 
which sections may be founded, but which do not seem to be sufficiently 
stable in their modifications to form part of the diagnosis. The color and 
pattern of ornamentation often give a clue to the affinities of a species and, 
in my opinion, should not be entirely disregarded, but afford no ground 
by themselves to establish any structural group. ‘The immature stages, 
egg, larva and chrysalis should also be studied, and they will often give 
a certainty as to the location of a form not to be attained in any other way. 
Unfortunately they are generally unknown; on this account alone our 
classification is provisional and it must remain so to a greater or less extent 
so long as the natural history of the family is not completely known 
and studied. 
The family Moctwidw, then, may be said to contain moths, having 
12-veined forewings, of which vein 5 belongs to the series attached to the 
median vein, being nearer vein 4 than vein 6, except in the genus Nola- 
phana, where it seems to be nearly central in its location, and having two 
internal free veins on the hindwings. This latter character divides them 
from the Pyralida, a family which the lower genera of the Noctuidw ap- 
proach in general form. The former character separates them from the 
Geometridw, a family which is lower and next succeeds the Noctwida, as 
may be seer from the fact that the larval form which is characteristic of 
the Geometride only obtains in certain lower genera of Noctwidw, which, 
in the perfect stage, also show a tendency (Homoptera) to copy the posi- 
tion of the wings in repose, and the ornamentation habitual with the Geo- 
metride. The wings in the Noctwide are entire, except in Bulinineria, in 
which genus the male has a slip on the external margin, a secondary 
sexual character of generic value. They have a simple frenulum in the 
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