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Show INSECT A· 194 . . ct probosci s form the su. bgenus 1 · 1 have a thstul h' h that organ 1!; want-teeth. Those w n~ 1. ( ) nd those in w lC f Fabr1c1us l ' a ( ) GLAUOOPIS o . . t that of AGLAOPE 2 • two subgenera. They ing or is not dlstmc . ecies of these h Th e are numerous sp . he Callimorp re. er t themselves w1th t . which was placed in seem to connec h t the genus Stygta, We should rematrokthtataof the Repialites. p r V 475-who has "b b longs L' de a ., ' this tn e, . e. Ann. de la Soc. 10• 8 australia accompanied M de V 1lhers- · on the • . . • us some n ew observau.o ns interme d'l a te between the Seos£1 re glven fi res considers lt as . Its palpi are those a 'vith good gu .'but it has no probo~clS·f 'form and more analo· d h Zygrenre, w1se us1 ' an t e tennre are short, no b than to those of the C s The an . f Born yx ossu . of certain specles o ·n the arrangement of the gous to those This Insect, even 1 h more to Cossus Sesire and Zygrenre.. l'ngs approximates roue h uper1or w ' . colours of t e s the lweceding sub genet a. - and Zeuzera than to FAMILY III. NOCTURNA. . . he Le idoptera, with some few ex· In the third famlly of t . p bridled, when at rest, by a ceptions, we a1 s o find the W. in. gsg from the exterto· t• ma l.'O .,'i-n of bristle or bundle of set~ ar~::o a ring or groove in th.e u~der the lower ones, and passu~h wings are horizontal or Inchned art of tbe upper ones. e b d The antennre gradu· :nd sometimes rolled round the ba~e ~~ point, or are setaceous. ally diminish in thickt~ess fro;e system of Linnreus, forms but This family' according to , the single genus PHALlENA, Lin. or after sunset. Sefl but .. at night These Lepidoptera seldom y . Ch 'deG of DalJDall· 14· it is the genus aN (1) Lat. Gen. Crust. et Insect., IVd, 2rt, Hist des Lepid. de France. ( ' . 'd . see also Go a · 2) Lat., Ib1d., 1 em, . LEPIDOPTERA. 195 veral have no proboscis. Some of the- females are destitute of wings, or have but very small ones. The caterpillars most commonly spin a cocoon; the number of' their feet varies from ten to sixteen( 1 ). The chrysalides are always t·ounded, or without angular elevations or points. The classification of this family is very embarrassing, and with respect to it our systems are as yet merely imperfect essays or rude sketches(2). We divide it into ten sections. The first nine at·e composed of those species in which the wings are perfectly entire, or without digitations. All those that in their caterpillar state live almost exposed or in fixed domicils, several of which have at least sixteen feet, and which, in their perfect state, have their superior palpi very small or entirely concealed, the wings more or less triangular, horizontal or tectiform and not folding round the body, will compose the first eight. The last of these latter, or the eighth, is the only one in which the caterpillars have fourteen feet, two of them anal. If the same number be found in some others, then the two last are wanting. The two divisions .!l.ttacua and Bombyx of the genus Phalrena of Linnreus ·correspond to the four first sections. The proboscis is Jl}Ost frequently rudimental or very small, and its two threada are not united. The inferior palpi, those of a small number excepted, are small and almost c'ylindrical. The antennre, at least in the males, are pectinated or serrated. The wings are horizontal or tectiform, a~d in several the inferior ones project beyond the others when at rest, and sometimes are also destitute of that bristle or bridle which connects them with the latter. The thorax is always smooth, as well as the abdomen, and woolly. The latter is usually very voluminous in the females. The cocoon of the chrysalis is usually well felted and solid. Although the Nocturna of the fourth section are closely allied to those of the preceding ones, we find a character in their caterpillars (1} De Geer, in one species, counted eighteen, all membranous, II, p. 245, and I, xxx, 20; xxxi, lS-16. (2) We are frequently compelled to borrow characters taken from the caterpillar. If this be disregarded, we shall be compelled to suppress a great numbet· of genera. I will mention for instance that of Phalrena proper, or Geometra. If we consider only the petfect Insect, it is impossible to distinguish generically several. species, such as the prodromaria; hctularia and ltirtarz'a from Bombyx; it is also ev1dent that we could not separate from them Platypteri$ and other genera. |
