Retrospective Criticism. 175 



delights to instance, without being gratified in feeling and 

 improved in understanding. 



To Mr. Curtis's instances of erroneous notices of objects of 

 natural history, in works on general subjects,, may be quoted, 

 from Johnson's Svo Dictionary, the definition of a weasel. 

 " Weasel. A small animal that eats corn and kills mice." 

 The weasel is wholly carnivorous. Other like errors may be 

 found in this and similar works. Writers on general subjects 

 must frequently be at fault on particular ones. Naturalists 

 must watch them, and, by critical vigilance, obtain justice for 

 their science. —*J. D. 



An Identification of some of the Varieties of Vapilionidce, 

 lately figured in this Magazine. — Sir, In a letter lately re- 

 ceived from my friend, A. H. Haworth, Esq., on the subject 

 of certain varieties of Papilionidae lately figured in your 

 Magazine, my correspondent observes as follows : — " The 

 black variety of Limenitis Camilla (Vol. V. p. 667.) I have 

 seen, and described, in the collection of the late General 

 Davis, at Blackheath. It was caught in Hanging Wood, 

 Charlton, and is well figured in Ernst's Pap. d'Europe, vol. i. 

 tab. 11. fig 13. f. and 13. e. The variety of Argynnis Aglaitf 

 (Vol. V. p. 750.) is almost precisely the same as Dr. Abbot's, 

 Mr. Sowerby's (figured on tab. 1. of his British Miscellany), 

 and my own Charlotta (Lep. Brit., p. 32.); so that there are 

 four specimens, all found in different years, and agreeing as 

 exactly as four specimens of any other species (if Charlotte 

 be a species) usually do. But the most interesting one you 

 figure is that which you call a variety of Melitse'tf Selen<?, 

 (Vol. V. p. 751.), which I take to be the P. Di« of Hubner 

 (Schmet., tab. 6. fig. 31 — 33.), a species not hitherto announced 

 as British by any modern writer ; and I think it will prove 

 (judging merely by your published figure) to be the supposed 

 and long lost P. Lathonitf, of Gamlingay Wood, Cambridge- 

 shire, and of Lep. Brit, preface, p. 28., but not of p. 33. 

 which is the true P. Lathoni«. At all events, my references, 

 on the last-named page, to Petiver's figures, there called bad 

 (as supposed to represent P. Lathonia), should now be ex- 

 punged, because they more probably belong to the P. Di« of 

 Hubner, and to your neat figure 124. of Loudon's very 

 useful Magazine of Natural History, Vol. V. p. 751., above 

 referred to. The Himalayan species (Vol. V. p. 752.) is 

 very like a hybrid between Atalanta and cardui, and is the 

 Atalanta indica of Jablonsky's PapiL, tab. 180. figs. 1. 2. 

 I have it from China direct; and from Nepal, by the favour 

 of my friend, Major-General Hardwicke. It is assuredly a 

 distinct species. Your queried variety of Papilio Adippe, at 



