152 
[Dece 
A few words in conclusion, even at the expense of seeming pro 
What is the true position of the PiEEOPnoBiDiE ? We British ei 
mologists are apt to take the position of groups for granted, an, 
create imaginary links of exotic species to fill up any gap howt 
wide; the leap, therefore, from the Neptimlidce to the :Pteroplm 
has, for this reason, passed unquestioned, yet surely no one could re 
believe this to be a true sequence in classification. In the list ab. 
Ghrysocorys is classed amongst the plumes, and if this be its true p 
tion (and for such opinion I have the high authority of Mr. Stain 
to back me), it is certainly a strong conuecting link to the Tlneina 
my own views of the afilnities of the Pterophori would be, in spite 
this, that they were rather an aberrant group of the Pijralidce than 
the Tineina (that is, taking the term Byralidc. in its widest meami 
and of these, that the genus Ghilo was their nearest ally: but then 
so much that is anomalous in the whole group that this is said rat 
with the view of opening a difficult question than of giving a posit 
opinion. Heterodox as it must appear, I have often dared to th; 
that there was something essentially wrong in our classification of 1 
Lepidoptera; as a large group they stand between Trichoptera on I 
one hand, and either Diptera or Symenoptera on the other. With t 
Trichoptera we have at least two true points of connection, name 
through the PsyMc^, and again through Cataclysta and Acentropv 
on the other side the relationship is more doubtful ■ yet to me, consid. 
mg that the mandibulate mouth exists in the embryonic or larval str 
of the Lepidoptera, and considering further how nearly the larva of t 
Tenthredir^id^ approach to those of Lepidoptera, the connection see. 
more close between that group and the Symenoptera, than the Dipte^ 
If this be so, the Sesiidce., though confessedly one of the most mimei 
groups among the Lepidoptera, have a true homological resemblan 
rather than a mere mimetic analogy with Hymenoptera, and it wou 
follow almost as a corollary that instead of beginning with Ornitlopte^ 
Temopalpus, and Papilio, we should commence with Trochilium ai 
instead of finishing with the Pterophori, we should end our lists wi 
the PsyM^ or Acentropus. But the reader must remember that I 
must lay the burden of this heresy on my back, and not on that of tl 
author, whose monograph has been just brought before his notice. 
Edgbaston, Bmningham, November, 1869. 
