the Classification of Lepidoptera, 359 
Dioptidse, and Lasiocampidse.'^ The Sphingina — the 
Sphingidse. The Rhopalocera — tlie families usually 
associated under this term/^ 
It will be seen by reference to Mr. Dyar's previous 
summary that this more recent pronouncement does not 
explain away any of the difficulties which I have pre- 
viously criticised ; but^ on the contrary by its more 
definite character tends rather to accentuate them. 
In order to make this paper as complete as possible,, 
and to ensure that I had not mis-stated the intentions of 
the authors^ I submitted it to Dr. Chapman and to Mr. 
Hampson. Dr. Chapman offers only one remark, viz., 
that " The answer (or excuse) for lumping the group 
called Macros, is identical with that v/hich will probably 
be given by the other writers quoted for lumping the 
TiNEiNA and Rhopalocera, viz., that so far as we have 
yet carried our studies, our methods do not enable us 
to do so with certainty^' (in litt., Feb. 14, 1895). 
Mr. Hampson writes at considerable length. He 
says : — I am extremely obliged to you for allowing me 
to see your paper on the ' Classification of the Lepido- 
ptera,^ the more so, as I am afraid a sharp bout of influ- 
enza will prevent my being at the Entomological Meeting 
next Wednesday. I wrote the review of Professor Com- 
stock's system, and added to it a summary of the progress 
made in the work of re-distributing the families of 
Lepidoptera into a natural system of classification, with 
the express object of showing what had been done, and 
of clearing the ground for, and helping to call forth, the 
next step in advance, a result, I am happy to see by your 
paper, has been attained. 
" I note that in my review I omitted to state that I 
left the Tineidse alone, because I have not specially 
studied them ; not because I think they represent a single 
family equivalent to the others, and I am only waiting 
for those who have been studying them as imagines— such 
as Lord Walsingham and Mr. Meyrick— to give us their 
results. There is no published classification of the 
families, that I know of, based on imaginal characters, 
and the commonly received characters separating the 
Tineidse and Tortricidse are entirely fallacious and have 
to be rejected ; but there are plenty of characters for a 
*" " These I have not examined sufficiently. The Lasiocampidce 
will probably form another superfamily." 
