INTRODUCTION. 31 



All these families, and several others which will be enumerated in their proper 

 places, afford indications for generic distinctions, M'^hich are confirmed by the genera 

 cited from Leach in Samouelle's Entomologist's Compendium. 



I shall at present limit myself to a very general definition of the remaining stirpes 

 of this tribe ; their analysis will follow in the sequel, when I hope to be enabled to 

 compare, in a more satisfactory manner, the result of the observations which I have 

 personally made with those of Hiibner and others, who have illustrated the meta- 

 moi'phosis of this order. I find, however, as well in my own materials as in the 

 arrangement of the Wiener Verzeichnis, that the remaining groups of Phalaenidae 

 are connected mutually one to the other, and to the two prominent groups 

 already enumerated by very evident affinities. I shall, therefore, consider these as 

 types of stirpes, and endeavour to show in the sequel that they complete the 

 circle of Phalaenidae. Before indicating them, I shall extract a remark from the 

 work just mentioned, as it not only illustrates the views entertained by the authors 

 of these affinities, but also shows their constant endeavour to arrange their groups 

 in a natural succession ; to this they were led, by attending carefully to the meta- 

 moi-phosis of the insects. They place before the remark alluded to an apology for 

 deviating in their arrangement from the order of Linnaeus, who had separated the 

 Pyralides from the Geometrae by the intervention of the Tortrices ; they then 

 proceed : " the reason which has induced us to make this alteration, is, that by this 

 means we believe we have adhered more closely to the regular connexion and 

 gradual passage which nature appears to have observed, and this both in regard of 

 the caterpillars and the perfect insects." They then describe the larva of one of 

 the groups, as far as they are acquainted with it, in the following words : " regard- 

 ing the larva of the Pyralides, we remark that many of them want the first pair of 

 the abdominal feet ; they move, therefore, in some measure, after the manner of the 

 Geometrae ; they have uniformly a slender body, and they live uncovered on plants."* 



According to this intimation, I shall consider the Pyralid^ as the group follow- 

 ing immediately after the Geometry, and representing one of the stii'pes of the 

 Phal^nidas, but without at present defining its limits. In the Vienna Catalogue 



they 



* Wir setzen die Zilnsler oder Lichtmucken vor den BlattwicMem, und glauben nicht, dass es jemanden 

 leicht verwirren soil, obschon by Herrn Linnaeus die letztern -vor jenen stehen. Die Ursache, die uns 

 zu dieser geringen Veranderung bewogen hat, ist, dass wir hiedurch den ordentlichen Zusamraenhang, und 

 sanften Uebergang, den die natur scheint beobachtet zu haben., mehr zu folgen glauben, und dieses 

 sowohl in Betrachte der Raupen als der Schmetterlinge. Die Raupen belangend, so mangelt vielen von 

 denen der Lichtmucken ein Paar der Bauchfiisze, sie geben daher un wenig Spannerformigt, haben durchge- 

 hends einen schlanken Leib, und leben auf den Pflanzen ganz unbedeckt. W. V., p. 118. 



