scribing. But now we have such excellent means for taking 

 these tiny lives without lengthy suffering, that Entomology is 

 relieved of much of the odium that has properly clung to the 

 study. Of most Lepidoptera the life in the perfect stage is 

 brief, even when not invaded by birds and rodents. Entomol- 

 ogists kill a very minute proportion of the swarms of insect life, 

 but they owe it to themselves to take their share humanely. 



The present "New Check List" is founded on preceding 

 Lists, published by myself and the late Mr. C. T. Robinson, or by 

 myself alone. These cover the whole ground, commencing with 

 the Synonymical Catalogue of Sphingidaeof 1865, down to the last 

 list published by myself in the "Canadian Entomologist" or other 

 of our periodical Entomological magazines. These sources are the 

 foundations for future " Lists," simply because they are the first 

 to be published, and contain original matter, and must be known 

 and used by all later comers (like the "Brooklyn Check List ") in 

 the same field. By the List now offered to the student, I think 

 that a collection of our moths can be naturally and scientifically 

 arranged. In some cases there may be an unprejudiced difference 

 of opinion as to certain genera adopted ; for instance in the 

 SpJnngidw, a group composed of such large and showy insects, 

 that without a microscope an opinion on structure may be given. 

 It must be remembered that I have been guided by the recently 

 published monograph of Mr. Butler to some extent, considering 

 that the very large material he has had before him will have led to 

 more correct ideas as to the affinities of the different species. In 

 this group the generic characters are mainly comparative, only 

 Ampkonyx, among the many genera I have examined, affording a 

 single strong generic character. Yet in many instances the differ- 

 ences are sufficiently clear as to cause no reasonable doubts that 

 we have to do with different generic types. In the palpi, neura- 

 tion, antennae and abdomen, together with the whole habit, char- 

 acters are afforded by C. Juglandis, for instance, which are as 

 strong as those separating any two other genera in the group. So 

 far as the study of geographical distribution is concerned, it is in- 

 teresting to know that the ocellated western forms of Smerintlius 

 agree in structure with the European, while our species from the 

 Atlantic coast diverge from this type, but agree with another form 

 from Asia Minor. The American species of Ambulyx, which do 

 not, however, occur within the territory embraced by this List, so 

 far as I know, may be distinguished from the Asiatic species 

 (hitherto referred to this genus) by a sub-apical excision in the 

 external margin of the forewings and by a reversal of the color- 

 ing of the tegulae and thorax. In the American species the 

 shoulder-covers are dark and the thorax pale. In describing 

 A. Sexoculata from Brazil, I drew attention to the probable generic 

 distinction between the two groups. I mention this here to show 

 that close observation is necessary to bring out facts which have 



