78 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [1888. 



Museum, there is no final court, before wliicli to test the integrity 

 of species, avaiUible for the bulk of American students. While 

 Walckenaer's descriptions are generally intelligible with the draw- 

 ings in hand, many are obscure without them. This is equally true 

 of Hentz's descriptions; but then we have his figures to interpret the 

 descriptions sufficiently well to enable us to identify the species.* 



Dr. McCook presented a list of a few of the best known species, 

 especially among the orb weavers, of those which were recognized 

 by him as identical with the corresponding uumliers in Abbot's 

 drawings, and which, if Walckenaer's claim to priority be conceded, 

 must hereafter be known under the names assigned by that natural- 

 ist. A reading of this brief list will give araneologists some idea of 

 the serious labor that must be wrought by them before fixed and 

 satisfactory results can be evolved from the confusion into which our 

 existing nomenclature has been startled by the unexpected reappear- 

 ance of Abbot's long lost manuscripts. 



These species are here given in the following tabulated form. 

 The first column shows the name given by Hentz. The second shows 

 Walckenaer's names. The third column gives the names of the 

 species as thev must hereafter be known if Walckenaer's names are 

 to be accepted. 



Table of Revised Nomenclature of American Spiders. 



Hentz. Walckenaer. Revised. 



Epeira insularis Epeira conspicellata ' Epeira conspicellata. 



Epeira trivittata Epeira arabesca '' Epeira arabesca. 



" Epeira Pegnia ^ Epeira arabesca. 



Epeira domiciliorxim Epeira benjamina * Epeira benjaviina. 



Epeira p)arvida Epeira eustala " Epeira eustala. 



Epeira thaddeus Epeira cepina * Epeira thaddeus. 



Epeira verucosa Epeira arenata ' Verucosa arenata. 



*In the discussion which followed the remarks of Dr. McCook the opinion was 

 expressed by Professors Leidy, Lewis and Dall that the earlier names should in all 

 cases be adopted, no matter how much inconvenience might be entaded thereby, 

 if the descriptions were recognizable. Prof. Heilprin held that such cases should 

 be decided so as to cause the least embarrassment to naturalists and therefore the 

 least detriment to Science. 



I Walck. Nat. Ilisl. Apteres. Vol. II, p. 58. = id p. 74. ^ id p. 80. * id p. 42. 



s id p. I>7. This species, whose remarkable variations have attracted the atten- 

 ion of all who know it, is described by Walckenaer under several names, as it was 

 by HlmUz. 



® id p. 38. Walckenaer confounds thaddeus \\\\.\\ parvulu of which he makes 

 it a variety. Ilentz's name may therefore stand. 



' id p. 133. 



