PREFACE. 



The Fourth Volume of the Moths in the ' Fauna of British 

 India ' deals with the subfamilies, genera, and species of 

 Indian Pyralidce. 



In the lowest subfamily, the Pyraustina, the least specia- 

 lized form is Simcethistis tricolor, with vein 5 of each wing 

 from the middle of the discocellulars, all the subcostals of the 

 fore wing from the cell, vein 8 of the hind wing free, and 

 the palpi porrect with the 3rd joint naked — a combination of 

 generalized characters which would almost allow this species 

 to be regarded as the ancestor of the whole family. Almost 

 all other Pyralidae have veins 8 and 9 of the fore wing 

 stalked. From Sim&thistis the Pyraustinee diverge in two 

 directions — firstly, to forms with porrect triangularly scaled 

 palpi, the 3rd joint concealed, from low down in which 

 series originated the Scopariince, with raised tufts of scales 

 on the fore wing; and, secondly, to forms with upturned 

 palpi, the 3rd joint long and acuminate. From the lower 

 Pyraustina, with porrect palpi and the 3rd joint naked, 

 arose also the other groups of Pyralidce : — 



The Hydrocampince with vein 10 of the fore wing stalked 

 with 8 and 9 : 



The Pyralince, with vein 7 stalked with 8 and 9, and vein 8 

 of the hind wing free ; giving rise to (a) the Endotrichince, 

 with vein 8 of the hind wing anastomosing with 7, from 

 which arose the Chrysaugince, with the maxillary palpi 

 absent ; and (b) the Epip (ischuria, with raised tufts of scales 

 on the fore wing and vein 8 of the hind wing either free or 

 anastomosing with 7, giving rise to the Phycitince, with vein 7 



