Evolution and Taxonomy loi 



stantly in some to develop a mode of flight requiring narrow 

 wings. 



This division of the order includes three superfamilies. I 

 have nothing to add to their well known characteristics. 



Superfamily Tineina. 

 Superfamil}^ Tortricina. 

 Superfamily Pyralidina. 



BB. THE MACROFRENAT^. 



Moths usnalljr of medium or large size ; a few are small. 

 The anal area of the hind wings contains less than three anal 

 veins except in some generalized families where the maximum 

 number persists ; but in these families this character is usually 

 correlated with rudimentary or aborted mouth-parts (see p. 48) ; 

 and merely indicates a slight degree of divergence from a 

 primitive type. 



To this division of the order belong the most generalized of 

 living Frenatse ; but this division also includes the most 

 specialized of all Lepidoptera. I therefore place it after the 

 Microfrenatae in an ascending series. 



C. THE FRENULUM-CONSKRVERS. 



Under this head maj' be grouped those families of the Ma- 

 crofrenatEe in which the two wings of each side are united by a 

 frenulum. They are the families in which the tendency of 

 natural selection is as a rule to conserve the frenulum, al- 

 though in certain genera this organ may be greatly reduced. 



The first separation of this group into divisions is indicated 

 I believe by a difference in the order of reduction of the anal 

 . areas of the two pairs of wings. In one division (D), repre- 

 sented by Castnia (Fig. 15), the reduction of the anal area of 

 the hind wings precedes the reduction of the anal area of the 

 fore wings. In the other division (DD) the reverse is the case. 

 As we have no representatives of the first division in the North 

 American fauna, and as I have had but limited opportunity 

 to study exotic forms, I will discuss only the second division, 

 which includes those frenulum-conserving moths in which 



