Vol. xxiii] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS l8l 



The funds in respect of Life Compositions will be invested, and only 

 the interest will be at the disposal of the Executive Committee. Sir 

 Daniel Morris, D.Sc., and The Hon. X. Charles Rothschild, M.A., 

 F.E.S., have kindly consented to act as Trustees of the funds. 



Members who propose joining the Congress, or presenting papers, 

 are requested to fill in the accompanying forms and send them in with 

 their subscription (except of course in the case of Life Members who 

 have originally paid) to the General Secretary of the Executive Com- 

 mittee, Malcolm Burr, D.Sc., care of Entomological Society of London, 

 11, Chandos Street, Cavendish Square, London, W. 



The Programme of the Second Congress of Entomology will be sent 

 out early in the spring, and, we believe, will be found so attractive that 

 we shall have the pleasure of welcoming to Oxford a large gathering 

 of Entomologists and friends of Entomology. 



On behalf of the Committee, E. B. POULTON, President; MALCOLM 

 BURR, General Secretary. 



STRICT PRIORITY IN NOMENCLATURE" OR XOT? [The following have 

 been received in response to the editorial in the March News. We hope 

 to hear from many other entomologists. This subject will be discussed 

 editorially in the May NEWS.] 



Please place my name on the list of those who vote against the strict 

 application of the law of priority in all cases, etc. J. H. COMSTOCK. 



I wish to register my vote against the strict application of the law 

 of priority. Old names and old descriptions are often worthless and 

 even misleading. Such of them as serve to clearly separate out from 

 allied species rendering them clearly distinguishable, and not, as in 

 many cases, applying to aberrant forms, should be retained. 



The time was when the describing and naming of insects was an 

 end ; but now it has ceased to be such and has become an imperatively 

 essential means toward tracing out their development and inter- 

 relationships. Priority, like any other law that does not admit of pro- 

 gressive, intelligent and practical application, is sadly in need of either 

 amendment, or elimination. Nature does not compel an insect to carry 

 about with it the cast larval skins and pupa case, but enables it to dis- 

 card these as they cease to be useful. F. M. WKRSTER. 



Relative to the question of abandoning the law of priority as dis- 

 cussed editorially in the last number of the NEWS, I would say that 

 this step must have been approved by the entomologists mentioned with 

 scarce appreciation of what a fearful condition it is apt to lead to. 

 Most systematists know of one or more preoccupied genera which they 

 are very reluctant to see changed, and if a proposition is suggested to 

 disregard a law which prohibits the retention of such personally favored 

 genera, they are apt to center their thoughts on that one point and so 



