Art. VII.—On the Nomenclature of the Lepidoptera of New Zealand.

Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Volume 44, 1911, Page 108

Art. VII.—On the Nomenclature of the Lepidoptera of New Zealand. By G. B. Longstaff, M.A., M.D., F.E.S. Communicated by George Howes, F.E.S. [Read before the Otago Institute, 6th June, 1911.] During the early part of 1910 it was my good fortune to spend eight weeks in New Zealand, during which I visited many places in both Islands. Naturally enough, my attention was somewhat distracted from entomology by the other attractions of the country, but in spite of these, and in spite of the shortness of the time at my disposal, I was, largely owing to the kindness of Mr. Augustus Hamilton, Mr. G. W. Howes, and Mr. G. V. Hudson, able to obtain some slight knowledge of its insect fauna. Since returning to England many hours have been spent in the British Museum naming my captures. Moreover, I have had the opportunity of examining large consignments of New Zealand Lepidoptera recently received from Messrs. Hamilton and Howes. In addition, I have had the invaluable assistance of Sir George F. Hampson, Bart., and Mr. L. B. Prout, in the settlement of knotty points. Mr. Howes suggested that I might give some of the fruits of my labours to my brother entomologists in New Zealand. Obviously, it would not be possible to place at their disposal every determination of a specimen, but perhaps I may save them some of the trouble that I had to go through myself in seeking out the comparatively small number of New Zealand moths in the serried ranks of cabinets at South Kensington. All concerned in New Zealand entomology owe a great debt of gratitude to Mr. Hudson for his “New Zealand Moths and Butterflies,” which was published in 1898. The writer of a pioneer work of that description always labours under great difficulties—difficulties which must have been in his case greatly increased by his distance from the vast collections and rich libraries of Europe. This paper appears to be a criticism of Mr. Hudson's book, and so, indeed, it is; but it is a friendly criticism. His book has been most useful to me, alike in New Zealand and in England; and, in spite of imperfections, many of them probably unavoidable, no criticism can destroy the value of the life-histories and notes of habits and like matters, which find no place in such works as Sir George Hampson's great catalogue. All, I think, must join in hoping that some day Mr. Hudson may see his way to a second edition. Here I would put in a word of encouragement to those who, like myself, are not systematists, and are, naturally enough, much put out by the changes of nomenclature that are nowadays so frequent. The value of a generic name is comparatively small, since genera correspond to the views of naturalists rather than to the facts of nature, and with increasing knowledge the views of naturalists change rapidly. Some divergences of opinion are due to the recognition, or otherwise, of the genera founded by older authors, which may, or may not, comply with our rules of nomenclature. Sometimes, it is discovered that the author's type of the genus was a species now recognized as very different in structure from the others included with it. Sometimes a familiar old name is dropped because the type species is clearly congeneric with some earlier-described species. Many changes which seem from a New Zealand or an English point of view to be meaningless are clearly

comprehensible when a large fauna is reviewed. In short, generic names have changed, and, troublesome though it be, probably will change again. With species, however, the case is quite different. They correspond, or should correspond, with natural facts. There will probably always be both the “splitter” and the “lumper.” Nevertheless, while it is comparatively unimportant what generic name you use, it is most important, so far as possible, that all should agree as to the specific name. It is, for example, most important that you should all mean the same thing by vitiosa Butl., but it matters comparatively little whether you include it in Melanchra or Morrisonia. It was almost inevitable that Mr. Hudson should have adopted Mr. Meyrick's system of classification and somewhat revolutionary nomenclature. Sir George Hampson's system differs from Mr. Meyrick's, though the difference is not perhaps so great as appears at first sight. It is well that I should state quite plainly that I am in nowise competent to judge between the two systems, and make no claim to do so. My design in this paper is a much more humble one, being merely to help New Zealand entomologists to find out by what names their moths and butterflies are known in the latest English systematic work. A few remarks as to the formidable “Catalogue of the Lepidoptera-Phalaenae in the British Museum” may possibly be of interest to the members of the New Zealand Institute. The first volume was issued in 1898, the ninth, completing the Noctuidae Trifinae, in 1910. In these ponderous tomes, each accompanied by a fasciculus of coloured plates, illustrating species not previously figured satisfactorily, Sir George Hampson has dealt with close upon ten thousand species of moths. Vol. 3 deals with four New Zealand insects, vol. 4 with eight, vol. 6 with four, vol. 7 with three, vol. 8 with two. Three of the volumes (1, 2, and 9) contain no New Zealand species; but it is fortunate that no less than forty-six species, all in the subfamily Hadenidae, are described in vol. 5.* Vol. 5 is issued at 15s.; the accompanying plates also cost 15s.: either may be had separately. Since Sir George's monumental work is likely to be the standard authority for many years to come—at any rate, for English-speaking entomologists—I have adopted his arrangement of the species in preference to that of Mr. Hudson, or that of the “Hand-list of New Zealand Lepidoptera.” On the left-hand side will be seen the name of the species as it stands, in Mr. Hudson's book, or in the original paper in which it was described. The page, plate, and figure follow. The mark ¶ signifies that there is no illustration of the species. On the right-hand side are given:— (1.) The number borne by the species in the catalogue. An asterisk (* Vol. 5 is issued at 15s.; the accompanying plates also cost 15s.: either may be had separately.) indicates that at the time of publication there was no specimen in the British Museum. In the case of the species recognized by the author since the publication of the volume the interpolated number is given in parentheses (). (2.) The name in the catalogue or in the British Museum collection. (3.) The number, in parentheses (), of specimens in the collection in November, 1910. This in most cases is only given when the number is under six. When the mark ♀ is added, the ♂ is unknown to Sir George, and there is therefore some doubt as to the section of the genus in which the species should be placed.

(4.) The reference to volume, page, plate, and figure in the catalogue. “Fig.” means that there is a woodcut in the text; the mark ¶. that there is no illustration of the species. When the insect has been recognized since publication, any obsolete reference to it is placed in square brackets []. Ann Mag. Nat. Hist. = “Annals and Magazine of Natural History.” Hmpsn. = “Catalogue of the Lepidoptera-Phalaenae in the British Museum.” Huds. = “New Zealand Moths and Butterflies,” 1898. Subantarc. Is. N.Z. = “Subantarctic Islands of New Zealand.” Trans. N.Z. Inst. = “Transactions of the New Zealand Institute.” Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond. = “Transactions of the Entomological Society of London.” Wellington list = “Hand-list of New Zealand Lepidoptera, Dominion Museum, Wellington, 1909.” Metacrias huttom Butl., Huds. p. 5, iv, 6 Metacrias strategica Huds., Huds. p. 4,* IV, 4 Metacriase erichrysa Meyr., Huds. p. 4,* iv, 5 Utetheisa pulchella Linn., Huds. p. 3, iv, 3 Nyctemera annulata Boisd., Huds. p. 2, iv, 1, 2 Helrothis armigera Hubn., Huds. p. 32, v, 40, 41 Euxoa radians Guen. ¶ Agrotis admirationis Guen., Huds. p. 31, v, 37 Agrotis sericea Butl., Huds. p. 31, v, 38 Agrotis ceropachoides Guen., Huds. p. 32, vi, 1 Agrotis ypsilon Rott., Huds. p. 30, v, 35, 36 Orthosia immunis Walk., Huds. p. 7, v, 29 Agrotis innominata Huds., Huds. p. 31, v, 39 Ectopatria aspera Walk., Wellington list Erana graminosa Walk., Huds. p. 29, v, 24, 25 Melanchra rhodopleura Meyr., Huds. p. 19, iv, 38 Melanchra pictula Butl. et Huds., nec White, Huds. p. 19, iv, 37 Leucania griseipennis Feld., Huds. p. 9; but iv, 8, would appear to represent L. moderata2063. Metacrias huttoni Butl. (5), vol. 3, p. 468; fig. 2064. Metacrias strategica Huds. (3), vol. 3, p. 468. ¶ 2065. Metacrias erichrysa Meyr. (1), vol. 3, p. 469. ¶. 2088. Utetheisa pulchella Linn., vol. 3, p. 483; fig. —. Deilemera annulata Boisd.† This is placed by Hampson in the Hypsidae, but it is taken here for convenience. Nyctemera is now restricted to certain African moths formerly called Otroeda, now placed in the Lymantrirdae. 56. [Chloridea armigera] Hubn., now C. obsoleta Fab., vol. 4, p. 45; fig. 285. Euxoa radians Guen. (1, from N.Z.), vol. 4, p. 164, lx, 7. 300. Euxoa admirationis Guen., vol. 4, p. 173; syn. sericea Butl. ¶. *301. Euxoa ceropachoides Guen. (0), vol. 4, p. 174, lxi, 7. 646. Agrotis ypsilon Rott., vol. 4, p. 368; fig. 702. Agrotis compta Walk., vol. 4, p. 409, lxx, 18. 895. Lycophotia innominata Huds. (1), vol. 4, p. 515; fig. 1123. Ectopatria aspera Walk. (3 N.Z.), vol. 4, p. 654, lxxvii, 27. 1128. Erana graminosa Walk., vol. 5, p. 8; fig. 1374. [Polia pictula White] (3), vol. 5, p. 174. ¶. Miselia pictula White.‡ Hampson has recently given the generic name Miselia Tr. priority over Polia Tr. With the imperfect material at his disposal when writing his catalogue he considered the North and South Island forms sexes of White's species. The type in the national collection is the same insect as Meyrick's rhodopleura, so that name sinks. The description in the catalogue requires correction owing to the confusion of the two species. See Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (8), viii, p. 421 (1911). (1374A.) Miselia meyricci Hmpsn. ined.‡ Hampson has recently given the generic name Miselia Tr. priority over Polia Tr. With the imperfect material at his disposal when writing his catalogue he considered the North and South Island forms sexes of White's species. The type in the national collection is the same insect as Meyrick's rhodopleura, so that name sinks. The description in the catalogue requires correction owing to the confusion of the two species. See Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (8), viii, p. 421 (1911). (2). ¶ 1526. Hyssia griseipennis Feld., vol. 5, p. 278. ¶.

Hyssia inconstans Butl., Huds. p. 9, included under L. griseipennis Leucania temenaula Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst. 1907, vol. 39, p. 106 Melanchia cucullina Guen., Huds. p. 27, v, 23 Leucania pachyscia Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst. 1907, vol. 39, p. 106. Leucania moderata Walk., Huds. p. 9, ? iv, 8 Hyssia sminthistis Hmpsn., Wellington list Leucania nullifera Walk., Huds. p. 9, iv, 9 Melanchra plena Walk., Huds. p. 17, iv, 32 Melanchra insignis Walk, Huds. p. 16, iv, 29, 30 Melanchra mutans Walk., Huds. p. 18, iv, 34, 35, 36 Melanchra caeleno Huds., Huds. p. 26, iv, 39. Melanchra beata Howes, Trans. N.Z. Inst. 1906, vol. 38, p. 511, xliv, 2 Melanchra levis Philpott, Trans. N.Z. Inst. 1905, vol. 37, p. 329, xx, 4 Melanchra paracausta Meyr., Huds. p. 15, iv, 28, 28A Melanchia maya Huds., Huds. p. 17, iv, 31 Melanchra bromias Meyr., Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond. 1902, p. 273 Melanchra agorastis Meyr., Huds. p. 18, v, 30 Melanchra pioteastia Meyr., Huds. p. 20, iv, 40 Melanchra infensa Walk., Huds. p. 23, v, 12 Melanchra rubescens Butl., Huds. p. 25, v, 18 Melanchra ustistriga Walk., Huds. p. 26, v, 20, 20A Melanchra lithias Meyr., Huds. p. 17, iv, 33 Melanchra homoscia Meyr., Huds. p. 21, v, 7 Melanchra stipata Walk., Huds. p. 25, v, 17 Melanchra alcyone Huds., Huds. p. 24 v, 14 Leucania alopa Meyr., Huds. p. 12, iv, 16 Melanchra merope Huds, Huds. p. 19, v, 2 1527. Hyssia inconstans Butl. (3), vol. 5, p. 279, lxxxv, 23. (1527A.) Hyssia temenaula Meyr. (1). ¶. 1528. Hyssia cucullina Guen. (4), vol. 5, p. 279, lxxx, 27. (1528A.) Hyssia pachysia Meyr. (0). ¶. 1529. Hyssia moderata Walk., vol. 5, p. 280; fig. 1530. Hyssia sminthistis Hmpsn. (1), vol. 5, p. 280, lxxxvi, 17. 1531. Hyssia nullifera Walk. (3), vol. 5, p. 281; fig. 1671. Morrisonia plena Walk., vol. 5, p. 367. ¶. (1671A.) Morrisonia chlorodonta Hmpsn. (1 ♀). ¶. Description in Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (8), viii, p. 423 (1911). 1672. Morrisonia insignis Walk., vol. 5, p. 368, lxxxviii, 20. 1673. Morrisonia mutans Walk., vol. 5, p. 369, lxxxviii, 21. (1673A.) Morrisonia caeleno Huds. (1 ♀) [vol. 5, p. 612, ignot.]. (1673B.) Morrisonia beata Howes (1). ¶. (1673C.) Morrisonia lews Philpott (2 ♀). ¶. * 1674. Morrisonia paracausta Meyr. (6), vol. 5, p. 370. ¶. (1674A.) Morrisonia oliveri Hmpsn. (1 ♀). ¶. Description in Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (8), viii, p. 424 (1911). (1674B.) Morrisonia maya Huds. (1) [vol. 5, p. 612, ignot.]. (1674C.) Morrisonia chyserythra Hmpsn. (1). ¶. * 1675. Morrisonia bromias Meyr. (0), vol. 5, p. 370, lxxxviii, 22. * 1676. Morrisonia agorastis Meyr. (0). vol. 5, p. 371, lxxxviii, 23. 1682. Morrisonia vitiosa Butl. (3), vol. 5, p. 375. ¶. 1683. Morrisonia infensa Walk. (1 ♀), vol. 5, 376, lxxxviii, 27.† The male of this species is not known to Hampson, who thmks it likely to come near Alopa. 1684. Morrisonia rubescens Butl., vol. 5, p. 376, lxxxviii, 28. 1685. Morrisonia ustistriga Walk., vol. 5, p. 377, lxxxviii, 29. * 1686. Morrisonia lithias Meyr. (0), vol. 5, p. 378. ¶. 1687. Morrisonia homoscia Meyr. (5), vol. 5, p. 378, lxxxviii, 23. 1688. Morrisonia stipata Walk., vol. 5, p. 379; fig. (1688A.) Morrisonia alcyone Huds. (1) [vol. 5, p. 612, ignot.]. (1688B.) Morrisonia alopa Meyr. (3) [vol. 5, p. 611, ignot.]. (1688C.) Morrisonia merope Huds. (1) [vol. 5, p. 612, ignot.].‡ I found this in the British Museum as M. chlorograpta, so described by Hampson m Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., 1905, p. 452, but he has since sunk that name.

Melanchra diatmeta Huds., Huds. p. 21, v, 5 Melanchra dotata Walk., Huds. p. 24, v, 16 Melanchra vitiosa Butl., Huds. p. 20, iv, 42 Melanchra tartarea Butl., Huds. p. 21, v, 6 Melanchra omoplaca Meyr., Huds p. 23, v, 13 Melanchra decorata Philpott, Trans. N.Z. Inst. 1905, vol. 37, p. 328, xx, 2 Melanchra lignana Walk., Huds. p. 26, v, 19 Melanchra pelistis Meyr., Huds. p. 19, v, 3, 4 Melanchra prionistis Moyr., Huds. p. 27, v, 21 Leucania temperata Walk., Huds. p. 9. ¶ Melanchra phricias Meyr., Huds. p. 27, v, 22 Melanchra composita Guen., Huds. p. 22, v, 8, 9 Leucania arotis Meyr., Huds. p. 12, iv, 18 Leucania tnnotata Howes, Trans. N.Z. Inst. 1908, vol. 40, p. 534 Melanchra steropastia Meyr., Huds. p. 23, v, 10, 11 Leucania atristriga Walk., Huds. p. 10, iv, 12 Physetica caerulea Guen., Huds. p. 8, iv, 7 Leucania micrastra Meyr., Huds. p. 12, iv, 10 Melanchia disjungens Walk., Huds. p. 15, v, 43 Leucania propria Walk., Huds. p. 11, iv, 13 Leucania unipuncta Haw., Huds. p. 13, iv, 24 Ichneutica ceraunias Meyr., Huds. p. 14, iv, 25, 26 Ichneutica dione Huds., Huds. p. 14, iv, 27 Leucania acontistis Meyr., Huds. p. 11, iv, 14 Leucania toroneura Meyr., Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond. 1901, p. 565 Leucania neurae Philpott, Trans. N.Z. Inst. 1905, vol. 37, 330, xx, 5 Leucania unica Walk., Huds. p. 12, iv, 17 (1688D.) Morrisonia diatmeta Huds. (1 ♀). ¶. 1689. Morrisonia dotata Walk. (1), vol. 5, p. 380, lxxxviii, 31. 1690. Morrisonia ochthistis Meyr., vol. 5, p. 380, lxxxviii, 32. 1691. Morrisonia tartarea Butl. (3), vol. 5, p. 381, lxxxix, 1. 1692. Morrisonia omoplaca Meyr. (1), vol. 5, p. 382, lxxxix, 2. (1693A.) Morrisonia decorata Philpott (4). ¶. 1694. Morrisonia lignana Walk., vol. 5, p. 383, lxxxix, 3. 1695. Morrisonia morosa Butl., vol. 5, p. 384, lxxxix, 4. * 1696. Morrisonia prionistis Meyr (6), vol. 5, p. 384, lxxxix, 5. 1697. Morrisonia temperata Walk. (5), vol. 5, p. 385, lxxxix, 6. 1698. Morrisonia phricias Meyr., vol. 5, p. 385, lxxxix, 7. (1698A.) Morrisonia longstaffi Howes, Trans. N.Z. Inst. 1911, vol. 43, p. 128; fig. (1698B.) Morrisonia sequens Howes, Trans. N.Z. Inst. 1912, vol. 44, p. 204, fig. 1699. Persectania evingi Westw., vol. 5, p. 386; fig. 1700. Persectania aulacias Meyr. (2). vol. 5, p. 387, lxxxix, 8. Syn. arotis, Meyr.; syn. obsoleta Howes; syn. innotata Howes. 1701. Persectania steropastis Meyr., vol. 5, p. 388, lxxxix, 9. 1702. Persectania atristriga Walk., vol. 5, p. 388; fig. 1786. Physetica caerulea Guen. (5), vol. 5, p. 445; fig. 1787. Physetica vindimialis Guen. (1), vol. 5, p. 445, xci, 2. Hampson says, “Hab. (?) U.S.A., E. Florida (Doubleday). 1 ♀ type. The type has the abdomen of a male of some other species stuck on to it, and will probably prove to be from New Zealand.” Vol. 5, p. 446. * 1788. Physetica micrastra. Meyr (0), vol. 5, p. 446, xci, 3. 1816. Graphania disγungens Walk., vol. 5, p. 469; fig. 1818. Tmetolophota propria Walk., vol. 5, p. 471; fig. 1915. Cirphis unipuncta Haw., vol. 5, p. 547. ¶. * 2036. Leucania ceraunias Meyr. (3), vol. 5, p. 590. * 2037. Leucania dione Huds. (0), vol 5, p. 590. ¶. (2037A.) Leucania acontistis Meyr. (3) [vol. 5, p. 610, ignot.]. * 2038. Leucania toroneura Meyr. (1), vol. 5, p. 591, xcvi, 1. Syn. Leucania neurae Philpott. 2039. Leucania unica Walk. (5), vol. 5, p. 591; fig.

Leucania dunedinensis Butl. ¶. Leucania semivittata Walk., Huds. p. 13, iv, 21, 22 Leucania blenheimensis Fereday, Huds. p. 13, iv, 23 Leucania purdii Fereday, Huds. p. 10, iv, 11 Leucania sulcana Fereday, Huds. p. 13, iv, 19, 20 Miselia pessota Meyr., Huds. p. 6, v, 26 Miselia rota Huds., Trans. N.Z. Inst. 1903, vol. 35, p. 243, xxx, 3 Orthosia fortis Butl., Meyr. Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond. 1901, p. 565 Xanthia purpurea Butl., Huds. p. 8, v, 32 Bityla defigurata Walk., Huds. p. 29, v, 33 Bityla sericea Butl., Huds. p. 29, v, 31 Orthosia pallida Huds., Trans. N.Z. Inst. 1905, vol. 36, p. 355 Cosmodes elegans Donov., Huds. p. 33, vi, 2 Orthosia comma Walk., Huds. p. 7, v, 27, 28 Plusia chalcites Esp., Huds. p. 35, vi, 3. Dasypodia selenophora Guen., Huds. p. 35, vi, 4 Hypenodes exsularis Meyr., Huds. p. 34. ¶ Hyperaucha octias Meyr., Huds. p. 37, vi, 7 (Rhapsa octias, Huds.)† Mr. Meyrick (Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond. 1901, p. 566) confesses to having led Mr. Hudson astray.Rhapsa scotosralis Walk., Huds. p. 36, vi, 5, 6 Sir George Hampson has not seen any of the following thirteen species, the types of which would appear to be in New Zealand, consequently he is unable to give any definite opinion about them. His difficulty is the same as Mr. Hudson has often laboured under. Agrotis veda Howes, Trans. N.Z. Inst. 1906, vol. 38, p. 511, xliv, 3 Orthosia margarita Hawthorne, Huds. p. 6, v, 31 Melanchra exquisita Philpott, Trans. N.Z. Inst. 1903, vol. 35, p. 246, xxxii, 2 Melanchra omicron Huds., Huds. p. 22, v, 42 Melanchra asterope Huds., Huds. p. 24, v, 15 Melanchra grandiosa Philpott, Trans. N.Z. Inst. 1903, vol. 35, p. 246, xxxii, 1 Melanchra octans Howes, Trans. N.Z. Inst. 1908, vol. 40, p. 533 Melanchra octans Huds., Huds. p. 25, v, 1 Melanchra erebra Huds., Subantare. Is. N.Z. 1909, p. 68, ii, 15 2040. Leucania dunedinensis Hmpsn. (2), vol. 5, p 591. xcvi. 2. 2041. Leucania semivittata Walk. (5), vol. 5, p. 592; fig. * 2042. Leucania blenhermensis Fereday (0), vol. 5, p. 592, xcvi, 3. (2042A.) Leucania purdiei Fereday (1) [vol. 5, p. 611, ignot.]. 2043. Leucania sulcana Fereday (5), vol. 5, p. 593; fig. * 2606. ? Sympistis pessota Meyr. (0), vol. 6, p. 412, ignot. * 2607. Sympistis iota Huds. (0), vol. 6, p. 413, ignot. 2608. Sympistis fortis Butl. (2), vol. 6, p. 413; fig. 2715. Austramathes purpurea Butl., vol. 6, p. 492; fig. 2775. Bityla defigurata Walk., vol. 7, p. 41; fig. 2776. Bityla sericea Butl. (1), vol. 7, p. 41; ¶. 2777. ? Bityla pallida Huds. (1), vol. 7, p. 42, cix, 6. 3591. Cosmodes elegans Donov., vol. 8, p. 17; fig. 4071. Ariathisa comma Walk., vol. 8, p. 400; fig. Plusia chalcites Esp. Hypenodes exsularis Meyr. (0). Hypenodes anticlina Meyr. (0). Hmpsn., vol. 5, p. 612 (? near Polia pictula). Hmpsn., vol. 5, p. 612 (? Hyssia, near cucullina). Hmpsn., vol. 5, p. 612 (? Morrisonia, near dotata). Hmpsn., vol. 5, p. 612 (? Morrisonia). Hmpsn., vol. 5, p. 612 (? Xylomania near natalensis).

Leucania pagaia Huds., Subantarc. Is. N.Z., p. 67, ii, 9 Physetica hudsonia Howes, Trans. N.Z. Inst. 1906, vol. 38, p. 510, xliv, 1 Leucania stulta Philpott, Trans. N.Z. Inst. 1905, vol. 37, 329, xx, 1 Leucania phaula Meyr., Huds. p. 11, iv, 15 Mr. Howes agrees with Mr. Hamilton in regarding this as a form of Physetica caerulea Guen.; but Sir George, who has not seen the insect, thinks it may possibly be a form of Hyssia griseipennis. Hmpsn, vol. 5. p. 611 (? near L. blenheimensis). At this place in Mr. Hudson's book the group that is usually called the Geometridae follows. As Mr. L. B. Prout is still engaged in his great revision of this group for Wytsman's “Genera Insectorum” (of which one part has already appeared), it does not appear expedient to deal with them here systematically, but at the same time it may be convenient to mention three points:— (1.) Xanthorhoe cineraria Dbld., Huds. p. 67, pl. viii, figs. 2, 2A.—Personally I have no doubt that the larger form is semi-signata Walk. (pl. viii. fig. 2A) and the smaller cineraria Dbld. (pl. viii, fig. 2), and that these constitute distinct species. (2.) Lythria euclidiata Guen., Huds. p. 68, pl. viii, fig. 35.—My specimens inferred by Mr. Howes to this species agree absolutely with Butler's type of Arctesthes catapyrrha (in the British Museum), an insect, in my opinion (and, I believe, in Mr. Prout's also), quite distinct from the Australian euclidiata. (3.) Sestra humeraria Walk., Huds. p. 89, pl. x, figs. 1, 2; and Sestra flexata Walk., Huds. p. 90, pl. ix, fig. 37 (very poor figure). — Walker's types are in the British Museum, and I have compared them with his descriptions. There seems no room for doubt that, by some unfortunate slip, Mr. Hudson has reversed the two species. In conclusion, I have a few remarks to make about the butterflies— (1.) Anosia erripus Cram., Huds. p. 102, pl. xi, figs. 1, 2.—The synonomy of this species is extremely confusing. Dr. Jordan, who has gone into the matter very thoroughly, says that the genus Anosia Hübn. (and several of Moore's genera) are not really distinct from Danaida Latr., which has priority. It would be in accordance with the best modern usage to call the insect Danaida archippus Fab. (2.) Anosia bolina Linn., Huds. p. 104, pl. xii, figs. 7, 8, 9.—This is of course, not a Danaine, but a Nymphaline of the genus Hypolimnas Hübn. (3.) Vanessa cardui Linn., Huds. p. 108, pl. xii, figs. 1, 2.—I quite agree with Mr. Hudson that the form kershawi McCoy does not merit specific rank. The Hope collection at Oxford contains a specimen from Cyprus, one from Mongolia, and three from Great Britain, with blue centres to the black spots on the hindwing. The section of the old genus Vanessa to which the three New Zealand species belong is now more commonly called Pyrameis Hübn. (4.) Junonia velleda Fabr., Huds. p. 109, pl. xi, figs. 16, 17.—This is now referred to Precis. I agree with Mr. Hudson as to the spelling of the name: vellida is meaningless.

(5.) Chrysophanus salustius Fabr., Huds. p. 117, pl. xii, figs. 18, 19, 20, 21; pl. xiii, figs. 2, 3, 4, 5.—Surely this name should be sallustius: the other spelling is meaningless. (6.) Chrysophanus enysii Butl., Huds. p. 117, pl. xii, figs. 22, 23, 24.—The types of enysii Butler and feredayi Bates are both in the British Museum. They are clearly conspecific, and Bates's name has priority. Mr. Hudson is in error in supposing feredayi to be a form of sallustius. (7.) Lycaena phoebe Murray, Huds. p. 119, pl. xii, figs. 10, 11.—This is indistinguishable from Zizera labradus Godart, which has priority. (8.) Lycaena oxleyi Feld., Huds. p. 119, pl. xii, fig. 12.—This was referred to Zizera, but has lately been placed in Neolucia. Waterhouse and Turner.