( 469 ) XVII. A Classification of the Australian Lymantriadie. By Dr. A. Jefferis Turner, M.D., F.E.S. [Read May 4th, 1904.] The Lymantriadm are a group of interest as being the lowest family of the iVoc^^aV^ series, which includes also the Syntomidai, Ardiadm, and Nodnidm (of which I regard the Agaristinai as a subfamily). They appear to have real relationship to the Eupterotid^, the lowest family of the Notodontid series, comprising the Geometrid^, Cymatopho-rid^, Notodontid^e, SpJmigid/e, SaturniadiB, and Boiiibycidm, the two series being readily distinguished by the point of origin of vein 5 of the fore-wings. In Australia the family is very well represented, and a classification of the Austra-lian species should be of more than local interest. Col. Swinhoe's recent revision of the Old-World species in the British Museum collection, while useful as regards species, leaves the genera still in need of revision. I have enlarged the extent of the family as usually understood by the inclusion under the subfamily name of Asotinas of the group usually known as HypsidiB or Aganaidx. These are undoubtedly a natural group, but in all important structural characters they agree so closely with the Lymantriadm as hitherto known, that I con-sider that they are best treated as a subfamily. The differences are no more than are present in the sub-families of the Noctuidm, Geometridm, and Pyralidas as these families are understood in Sir George Hampson's classification. There seems to me a tendency at present to create too many families among the bombycine moths. No doubt such division is practicable owing to the wide-spread extinction of intermediate forms among these archaic groups ; but it appears to me more philosophical to group these together as subfamilies, wherever the indica-tions of affinity appear sufficiently clear to justify such a course. The remainder of the family I have divided into two subfamilies, the Lyviantrianm and the Anthelinx (type Anthela, Wlk.), the latter being distinguished by the very peculiar structure of the areole of the fore-wings, TRANS. ENT. SOC. LOND. 1904. — PART III. (SEPT.)
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