Vol. xxi] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS 395 



Noctuid Notes. 



r>v F. II. \YOLLEY DOD, Millarville, Alta, Canada. 



During a trip in the East, made last winter, devoted princi- 

 pally to the study of Noctuidae in various collections, the au- 

 thor was enabled, through the courtesy of Prof. J. B. Smith, 

 to spend about twenty-two full working days over that at Rut- 

 gers College, nominally Prof. Smith's own. It was the first 

 time I had had the pleasure of meeting the Professor, with 

 whom I have been in correspondence for over sixteen years, 

 and I found him goodness personified. He gave me undis- 

 turbed possession of the collection room during nearly the 

 whole of the time, affording me opportunity of discussing vari- 

 ous points with him as they turned up, and urging me to help 

 myself to any species for which I took a fancy. The extent 

 to which I availed myself of the latter offer may be judged 

 from the fact that I filled a number of cigar boxes (I find it 

 convenient to forget the exact number!) and further imposed 

 upon his generosity and good nature, not to mention his valu- 

 able time, by leaving them with him to be packed and sent 

 after me! The time I spent in careful study, comparison and 

 note-taking at the collection was of incalculable pleasure and 

 benefit to me, and I had, as is my custom, over five hundred 

 specimens of my own with me to compare with types, etc. 



For similar opportunities of study of which I gladly availed 

 myself I am indebted to Mr. Beutenmuller, of the American 

 Museum of Natural History at New York; Mr. Doll, of the 

 Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences; Dr. H. G. Dyar, of 

 the United States National Museum at Washington ; Dr. Wm. 

 Barnes, of Decatur, 111., and Mr. Gerhard, of the Field Mu- 

 seum, Woodlawn Park, Chicago. 



As Prof. Smith has published by far the greater part of the 

 literature dealing with North American Noctuidse for some 

 years past, it must necessarily be at him that most of my criti- 

 cism will have to be leveled in periodical publications of notes. 

 I trust that such criticisms of the writings of him or others 

 will give no offense, as they will be made in friendly spirit, 



