112 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS [Mar., '14 



tire series of all the generations must be examined and all of 

 its external characters tabulated. Thousands and not hun- 

 dreds of specimens need to be dealt with. 



There is no doubt that much variation prevails in the chae- 

 totaxy of certain groups, and the limits of this variation need 

 to be determined. It needs to be determined also to what ex- 

 tent macrochaetal variations are inheritable. Clean strains 

 must be used for this work. Gravid females taken in the open 

 will not suffice, still less will egg masses found in the open. 

 The writer has not the time at present to verify the results 

 presented in the above paper, but he notes a few glaring dis- 

 crepancies which need immediate correction. 



1 . Lucilia morrilli T. is said to be, type and cotypes through- 

 out, Pseudopyrellia cornicina. It is manifestly quite impos- 

 sible that the latter species should have been determined by 

 the writer as Lucilia. If page 50, Tax. Muse. Flies, is turned 

 to, it will be seen that Ps. cornicina is there recorded as with- 

 out hypopleural hairs and with fourth vein arcuate at bend. 

 Lucilia shows opposed characters. The conclusion is inevi- 

 table that the specimens of Ps. cornicina in question are not 

 the specimens on which L. morrilli was founded. 



2. Lucilia giraulti T. It can be positively affirmed that the 

 actual type, at time of characterization, possessed two pairs of 

 ocellar bristles, these being of practically equal strength. This 

 is indicated in the table of species, as well as in the descrip- 

 tion. 



3. Lucilia infiiscata T. It is likewise impossible that a speci- 

 men of Phormia regina should have been included in the origi- 

 nal series as a cotype. P. regina is defined on the same page. 



The writer has made it an invariable rule, at the cost of 



.much labor, to verify repeatedly his examinations of material 



in making determinations and descriptions, so that no error 



may result. It is by reason of this fact that he is able to make 



the above definite assertions. 



As to Lucilia terraenovae Desv., it is the type of the genus 

 Protophormia T. 



The above paper is followed in the same journal by a very 



