March 1897 ] GkOTE : CLASSIFICATION OF THE SATURNIIDES. 47 
phological change in the structure of the wing, tending to the oblitera¬ 
tion of the cross-vein, the permanent attachment of the two upper 
branches of the median vein to the Radial series and of the lower 
branch to the Cubitus. Such a grand alteration in the pattern of the 
neuration must take place through a series of gradual steps, no one of 
which i i fortuitous. To suppose that a member of the Aglid series of 
a low type (vein VIII of secondaries being retained) could attain such 
a stage as Hemileuca presents, presupposes a total subversion of struc¬ 
tural sequence. No one, I think, who had studied the neuration atten¬ 
tively could entertain so violent a view. I close this reply to Dr. Dyar’s 
otherwise kind notice with a confession of my inability to understand 
what it is in the spacing of the analytical table which makes it unintelli¬ 
gible, and a recapitulation of the characters of the higher structural 
groups of the Saturniides as established by me. I conclude that the 
classification is plain and obvious and is preferable to the obscure char¬ 
acters upon which Dr. Dyar would regard Aglia and Hejnileuca as 
types of distinct families. So far as my studies go I have found no 
grounds for increasing the family types in the Saturniides , since all the 
genera examined by me fall naturally and easily into their places under 
one or the other of the two families limited in my paper. 
Radius 5-branched.SPHINGIDES. 
Radius 3-4-branched.SATURNIIDES. 
(1) Vein IV 2 anastomosing with IV L . Saturniida;. 
Cell open. Attaciile. i. 
Cell closed. 
Hind wings wanting vein VIII. Saturniin^. 2. 
Hind wings with VIII present. Hemileucin^e. 3. 
(2) Vein IV 2 from the cross-vein. Agliid^e. 
Cell apically depressed. 
Hind wings wanting vein VIII. AGLIINZE. 4. 
Hind wings with vein VIII present. Citheroniin^:. 6. 
Cell rectangular. Automerin^e. 5. 
In view of the radius being 5-branched and the internal vein (VIII) 
of the secondaries being retained throughout, I consider the Sphingides 
as lower, less specialized, than the Saturniides. But, since both groups 
are parallel, both rooting in the Tineides , their relative position in a 
linear arrangement is less important and, as I say in the “ Systema,” I 
have tried to keep the original sequence of Linne where this can be 
done without violence. In this case there may be other points, such as 
the specialized larvae, the advanced prothorax and salient head, the 
narrow wjngs and the cylindrical and tapering abdomen, all fitting the 
