32 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



dark form, but now find I took both forms in the same seasons. * * * * 

 The $ antennae are obviously different, and this has a rusty patch on 

 basal tuft of thorax, and differs also in the anal angle of the primaries and 

 colour of secondaries. These differences are quite constant in my series." 

 The antennal difference referred to by Mr. Dod is in the greater length of 

 the pectinations in this new species, and this is accompanied by an even 

 greater difference in the male genitalia. Though fully as large as 

 xylinoides, this new species has the male harpes actually smaller, while 

 the clasper and other processes are quite unlike. 



HYDROECIA AMERICANA SPEYER, OR HYDROECIA 



ATLANTIC A SMITH. 



To whom should a species be credited : to the author who names 

 it a variety and declares positively that it is not distinct from another, 

 which he considers the stem, or to the author who first points out 

 the specific characters and establishes its distinctness ? 



In 1875 Dr. A. Speyer, in his paper on " Europaisch-amerikanische 

 Verwandschaften," gives first, a list of American species which he 

 considers distinct from European forms, a list of species occurring in 

 both countries, a list of questionable forms, and then elaborates these 

 lists by a series of notes. In the list of species common to both 

 countries, he enumerates Hydroecia nictitans, and afterwards points out 

 some minor differences in the series before him, noting that Guene'e had 

 previously enumerated most of them. On page 152 of the volume he 

 speaks as follows : " Als eigene Art wird sich die amerikanische 

 Nictitans von der europaischen nicht trennen lassen, da ein vullig 

 durchgreifender Unterschied zwischen beiden fehlt. Eine ausgezeichnete 

 Varietat bildet sie aber jedenfalls." 



And then he characterizes his variety as follows : 



" Var. b. Americana. Al. ant. lretius latericiis s. fulvis, apice subfal- 

 cato. Patr. Amer. Septentr." 



We have, then, very clearly established what Speyer thought of the 

 American form. First, he ranges it as identical with the European ; next 

 he declares that there is no constant difference between the examples from 

 both countries, hence specific separation is impossible, and, finally, 

 he bases a varietal name on a slight difference in general colour and 



