1895.] Of a New Classification of the Lepidoptera. 789 
terous Polystæchotes, and mentioned the elongated thorax of 
Hepialus, especially “ the unnatural length of the metathorax, 
accompanying which is the enlarged pair of wings, a charac- 
ter essentially neuropterous.” Reference was also made to the 
metascutum which is divided into two halves, being separated 
widely by the very large triangular scutellum. I also drew 
attention to the transverse venule or spur of the costal vein, 
and to the great irregularity in the arrangement of the 
branches of the median nervure, also to the elongated abdo- 
men, and, finally, I remarked, “ The Hepiali are the lowest 
subfamily of the Bombyces.” But in those days I did not 
fully perceive the taxonomic value of these generalized char- 
acters, which have so well been proved by Chapman from im- 
aginal and pupal characters, and by Comstock from the vena- 
tion, to be such as to place the Hepialide at or near the base 
of the Tineoid series. Chapman, unaware of the existence of 
mine and of Speyer’s paper, says: “ The metathoracic structure 
of Hepialus came as a very unexpected confirmation of the idea 
that of the Tortricoid group, it was the nearest to the lower 
Adelids, and despite its specialization was near the line by 
which Tortrix was derived from some Adelid form.” (P. 113.) 
I will now refer to some characters of the Hepialide which 
further show that they are colossal Tineoids, and should be 
placed very near the base, though still presenting in their bor- 
ing larval habits, and in the reduced maxillary and labial 
palpi, the entire absence of a haustellum and of mandibles, 
that the family (at least Hepialus and Stenopis) have under- 
gone a considerable degree of modification, compared with the 
Micropterygide. 
Beginning with the larva, that of the Australian Oncopera 
intricata, when compared with the larva of the colossal Tineid 
Maroga unipunctaria of South Australia, is the same in struc- 
ture, though less specialized in the colors of the tubercles and 
in the sculpturing of the head, but it has the same shape of 
the body, the same arrangement of the 1-haired tubercles, 
though the setze are smaller and shorter; and the same com- 
plete circles of crochets on all the abdominal legs. 
3 On synthetic types in insects, Boston Jour, of Nat. Hist., 1863, pp. 590-603. 
