230 BRITISH LEPlDOPTERA. 



besides Dimorpha\ Hb., antedates Dismorphia, Hb., by at least 

 twelve years. 



Hampson unites {Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 6., vol. xiv., 

 p. 259) Endromidae, Arbelidae and Lasiocampidae. He places them 

 in division 1 of his group II, defined as : 



II. Vein 1 c of the forewing lost; vein 5 migrated towards the lower angle ot 

 the cell : the bases of some of the subcostals of the forewing usually becoming 

 united — - 



(1) The Arbelidae, Endromidae and Lasiocampidae : The frenulum lost ; the 

 bar between vein 8 and the cell of hindwing retained, or vein 8 united to 7 after 

 its origin. 



As further subdivisions of group II we find (2) Pyralidae, 

 Thyrididae, Drepanulidae and Callidulidae, (3) Hypsidae and 

 Lymantriidae, (4) Pterothysanidae, (5) Syntomidae, (6) Arctiidae. (7) 

 Noctuidae and Agaristidae, all, in our opinion, widely distant from 

 those comprised in subdivision 1. Meyrick unites {Handbook, p. 314) 

 the Frenate super family Drepanulides (under the family name Drepan- 

 idae) with the Endromidae { I imorphidae) and Lasiocampidae (without a 

 frenulum) in his group Lasiocampina and gives the following table : 



1. Frenulum present f. Drepanidae. 

 Frenulum absent 2. 



2. Forewings with nervure 7 out of 10 2. Endromidae. 

 Forewings with nervure 7 separate from 10 3. Lasiocampidae. 



We are inclined to disagree entirely with the position here 

 assigned to the Drepanids. The position we have suggested will 

 be seen anted, vol. i., pi. i. 



As to possible allies, the most probable relative is the Australian 

 Chelepteryx {co//esi\ Grote refers this genus to the Dimorphides {Die 

 Saturniiden, pp. 2-3), although it still possesses the frenulum which 

 Dimorpha has lost. He speaks of Chelepteryx as the lower form* 

 and thinks that the discovery of its earliest stages may throw some 

 light on the phylogeny of Dimorpha. Kirby notes {Handbook, etc., 

 p. 67), however, that "the large Australian moth, Chelepteryx 

 collesi, Gray, which somewhat resembles Dimorpha in markings, 

 and which some authors have supposed to be allied with it, is proved 

 by its tufted larva to belong to the Lasiocampidae {Lachneidae). ,} 

 Meyrick notes {Handbook, p. 318) that "only a single species 

 {Endromis versnolora) is known in this family, it appears to stand 

 remote from anything else and must be a remnant of an otherwise 

 extinct branch." We are unable to recognise any alliance between 

 Dimorpha {rersicolora) and TJicrinia podaliriaria, a species which 

 Kirby allies {Handbook, etc., iv., p. 62) with this species and Bombyx 

 mori. Therinia appears to be equally misplaced in either Dimorpha 

 or Bombyx {sens, strict.). 



We have already discussed at length (anted, vol. i., pp. 124- 

 125 ; vol. ii., p. 440) the principal facts pointing to the alliance existing 

 between Dimorpha and the Lachneids, Saturniids and Sphingids, and 

 we do not propose to repeat what is there stated, but the following 



* One is inclined to agree that this view is accurate, although taking the 

 Jugatae as moths without the frenulum as the lowest, the Frenatae are to be 

 considered as the more specialised superfamilies, but Micropteryx is already 

 beginning to develop a frenulum and all the lower forms have it usually well- 

 developed. One suspects, therefore, that all the higher forms without the structure 

 have almost certainly !<>>t it. 



