(407.2 
III. Obfervations on the Phalana Bombyx Lubricipeda of Linneus, and 
Jome other Moths allied to it. By Thomas Mar/bam, Efq. Secretary to 
the Linnean Soctety. 
Read Auguft 5, 1788. 
ITH a view to promote the interefts of that {cience which 
— we profefs to cultivate, I take the liberty of offering to the 
confideration of the Linnean Society a few remarks, made with a 
defire of correcting an error into which the celebrated Linneus has 
fallen in defcribing his Phalena Bombyx Lubricipeda; which, 
although a very common infect, has been by him confounded with 
three other fpecies ; an error in which he has been followed by Fa- 
bricius and others. But before we enter on this fubject, I cannot 
help exprefling a wifh, that entomology were more ftudied as a 
fcience; from a conviction that many interefting obfervations and 
difcoveries have frequently been made, which are concealed, or 
totally loft, for want of a proper mode of communicating them to 
the public. Few of the Englifh names of infects being generally 
known, and many of them very local indeed, fcarcely any two ob- 
fervers, who confine themfelves to thefe names, can always under- 
ftand each other. If the ftudy of infects be of any utility, clearnefs 
and precifion in its purfuit are well worthy our attention. To enu- 
merate the ufes of this ftudy, would be only to repeat what has been 
often faid before. Yet if the appearance of an harmlefs caterpillar 
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