1895.] Of a New Classification of the Lepidoptera. 793 
The genus Hepialus occurs in Australia, and that continent 
appears to be the original home of the family. In Abantiades 
argenteus the antenne are tripectinate, and the labial palpi are 
very large; in Hectomanes fusca the antenne are bi-pectinated 
but the labial palpi are much reduced, being scarcely visible ; 
while Oncopera intricata isremarkably modified; though the 
antenne are simple, the eyes are very large, nearly meeting 
on the front, while the 3-jointed labial palpi are remarkably 
long and slender, extending upwards, and the hind legs have 
a remarkable broad, flattened, curved pencil of hairs. 
It thus appears that in the Australian continent this inter- 
esting family, which may be a survival of Jurassic times and 
coeval with the marsupials, has branched out along several 
lines of specialization, the most degenerate form being Hepi- 
alus which has survived also in Europe and in North Amer- 
ica, especially on the Pacific Coast. On the whole, however, 
SS S 
Fra. 10. Fie. 10 A. 
