196 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



be fully and accurately stated. Where changes were made in the synonymy, 

 in the catalogue, they represented published views on the subject, often 

 expressed by a number of authors. Mr. Lyman himself covers the 

 ground fairly well in the 29th Rept. Ent. Soc. Ont., p. 18, where he says : 

 " In entomology, as no doubt in other branches of natural science, some 

 men are lumpers and others splitters. To the latter I would say that the 

 describing of new species should certainly not be done on the chance of 

 their proving distinct, and to the former that once a form has been 

 described as a new species it should not be lumped except upon 

 OVERWHELMING PROOF." I may state that I still think, quite a number of 

 the names listed in the catalogue will prove synonyms, but we need proof, 

 or opinions based on proof, widi the reasons set forth to prove the case. 



Henry Skinner, Philadelphia. 



Note bv Mr. Lyman. — Dr. Skinner is no doubt correct in his view 

 that a cataloguer should not be a lumper, but at the same time it is. I 

 think, usually expected that a catalogue should reflect in some degree 

 the more conservative views of its compiler. 



Under Chionobas Tarpeia Dr. Skinner very properly explains that 

 there is considerable doubt of the species having ever been taken in 

 North America, and if the species of Argynnis of the Eurynome group 

 had been followed by a note to the effect that their distinctness was 

 open to considerable doubt, no one could have objected, and such a note 

 would tend to attract more attention to the study of these interesting 

 forms. But Dr. Skinner went much further in the case of the Pacific 

 Coast forms of Chionobas in lumping Gigas, Butl., Cali/ortiica, Bdl., 

 and Iduna, Edw., under iVevadetisis, Felder. 



No monographic work had been done in this case except by Edwards, 

 who maintains the distinctness of the forms. Elwes had " revised " 

 Oeneis, but in the case of these species had added nothing to what was 

 already known about them. H. H. L. 



Mr. R. a. Cooley, assistant to Prof. Fernald in the Insectary of 

 the Massachusetts Agricultural College, has received the appointment of 

 Professor of Zoology and Entomology in the Montana State College at 

 Bozeman, Mont. Mr. Cooley has just completed a monograph of the 

 genus Chionaspis, which will shortly be published. 



Mailed July 6ih, 1899. 



