ANTHROCERIDES. 385 



is found in the latter, and even the scales on the pectinations are dark 

 fuscous. Griffiths says that the Anthrocerid frenulum shows some 

 peculiarities. The spine is not so strong as that of the Sphingids, and, 

 instead of passing through a regular loop, it fits into a sort of pocket 

 attached to the costal nervure of the forewings, the point of the spine 

 sometimes, but not always, just appearing through the end of the 

 pocket. He adds that Adscita (Procris) agrees with Anthrocera, and 

 the American and other foreign examples examined do not differ from 

 our British representatives in this respect. 



Kirbysays that " the South African Anthrocerinae have been divided 

 into several genera, differing slightly from Anthrocera. In Arichalca, 

 the fore-wings are marked with red transverse bands, bordered by 

 black lines instead of being spotted, or longitudinally streaked. Three 

 species from south-eastern Africa have been referred to the latter 

 genus. Except the Mediterranean species of true Anthrocera, all the 

 African Anthrocerinae and Adscitinae appear to be found in southern 

 or eastern Africa, and, of the latter, only one or two species have been 

 recorded from tropical regions. In west Africa these subfamilies do 

 not appear to be found at all." 



The Burnets proper are especially abundant in the Mediterranean 

 district, but are found practically throughout the Palsearctic region, 

 whilst Kirby says that one or two species touch the north-western 

 frontiers of India, and a few species are South African, the latter, 

 however, appearing not to be gregarious like the European species. 

 The Adscitids also are especially abundant in Europe and the Mediter- 

 ranean district, but they spread over the whole Palaearctic area, 

 extend into the East Indies, Australia and Tasmania, and reappear in 

 Central and South America. The Pyromorphids appear to be con- 

 fined to America, extending throughout the greater part of both North 

 and. South America. The European Aglaoj>e infausta, however, is 

 probably a Pyromorphid. 



Family : anthrocerid jE. 



The family may be diagnosed as follows : — 



Ovum. — Ovoid in form ; shell delicate, transparent ; usually pale yellow or 

 greenish in colour ; surface smooth or delicately reticulated. 



Larva. — Body flattened ventrally ; in 1st skin tubercles generalised ; in 2nd 

 and subsequent skins the tubercles converted into warts, bearing many finely 

 spiculate hairs ; prolegs of Macro type. 



Pupa.— Free abdominal segments (1, 2 ?) 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 (in male),(l, 2?), 3, 4, 5, 

 6 (in female) ; maxillary palpus nearly, or quite, obsolete ; dorsal head-piece well 

 developed ; enclosed in a cocoon. 



Imago. — Tongue developed ; antenna? more or less thickened towards apex, 

 or ciliated ; labial palpi ascending, the terminal joint short and pointed ; leg 

 spines ill- developed ; frenulum present ; neuration very generalised. 



The family is represented by two subfamilies in Britain — the 

 Adscitinae or Forester moths, and the Anthrocerinae or Burnet moths. 

 We have already noted that it is doubtful whether the American species, 

 usually classed as a distinct family under the name Pyromorphidae, 

 really form more than a tribe of the Adscitinae, to which they appear to be 

 very closely allied. The Adscitidi can generally be distinguished at once 

 by the unicolorous bronzy-green colour of the fore-wings, the Anthro- 

 ceridi by their crimson-spotted fore-wings, and crimson-coloured hind- 

 wings. The Adscitid larvrc partially mine into their foodplant when 

 young, and pupate in a cocoon on (or just below) the surface of the 



V 



