(423) 



long on Cuba, nobody was better fitted to write on the subject. One of the prettiest 

 American Papilios bears his name {P. gundlachianm). Unfortunately we are 

 bound to employ for it the older name columhus, given to it previously by Gundlach 

 ill lift, and published by Herrich-Schiiffer. The insect was renamed gimdlncJnanua 

 by Felder, because the name colwmbus had already been employed for another species 

 in the genus Papilio. Our reasons for retaining nevertheless the name cohimbiis for 

 tlie Cuban species are of a general nature. 



We distinguish between the name of a form (species or variety) and the 

 nomenclatorial formula in which this name appears. Papilio marccllus f. telamonides 

 is the formula for the summer variety of the North American species Papilio 

 ■marcellus, the name of this variety being telamonides. Some authors consider it 

 permissible, or even advisable, to replace the name by a new one, if the supposed 

 variety tnrns out to be a distinct species. Among prominent Lepidopterists this 

 view was held by Niceville. If the principle were correct, one ought consequently 

 to replace a name by another also in the case of supposed species being proved 

 to be varieties, or a supposed geographical form to be seasonal, etc. We regard 

 this opinion as utterly opposed to stability in nomenclature. The first name given 

 to a form, if not preoccupied, is the name of this form, whatever position the name 

 takes in the nomenclatorial formula according to the individual opinion of an author. 

 Now, systematists differ as to when a name is preoccupied. Leaving aside the view 

 that a name is preoccupied by another which has the same root or the same meaning 

 {_fluciatilis, Jiiuiorum ; alhoniger, leucomelas), there are two opposite opinions 

 with regard to this question. Most systematists adhere to the rule that a name 

 is preoccupied if at the time of its publication there was already a name identical 

 in spelling in the genus where the new form was j^laced by the author. This rule 

 would be excellent, and we should adhere to it, if there were not serious drawliacks. 

 Opinion as to the extent of each genus is not at all unanimous, and never will be. 

 According to one author a certain genus contains many species ; according to another 

 writer only one or a few belong to it. Hence it is often impossible to decide, if at 

 the time of publication of a new form the name was or was not contained in the 

 respective genus as conceived by the author of the new form. For instance, if 

 somebody published to-day a new Swallow-tail, calling it Papilio ulysses, who will 

 decide if this name is preoccupied, since some authors restrict the generic title to 

 machaon and allies, others to priamtis and allies, others again to some Nymphalids, 

 while the majority of Lepidopterists comprise in Papilio many hundreds of 

 differently organised Papilionidae ? To follow the above rule consistently is the 

 more difficult in the case of Lepidoptera, as the genera were formerly so very 

 extensive that the species belonging at one time to a single genus are now 

 often distributed over several families. There is, moreover, the great difliculty 

 in Lepidoptera that one would have to decide whether Papilio E<jues Trojaims 

 dan/anus Fabr. (1793) is preoccupied hj Papilio Eques Achimis dardanus Brown 

 (1775) or by Papilio Damnis Festivits dardanus Cram. (1775); and whether Papilio 

 Eqiies Achims orestes Fabr. (1703) is superseded by Papilio (orestes) Meerb. (1776). 

 The above rule further compels ns to ask, if Papilio harmodius Donbl. (1845) 

 which is a swalluw-tail, is preoccupied by Papilio Ni/mplialis Fcsticus harmodius 

 Cram. (1779), which is a moth, or the name of the swallow-tail Papilio hesperas 

 Westw. (1843) by Papilio Petttieits Jiesperus Fabr. (1793), which is a Nymphalid ? 



Now, there is no difficulty about these questions, and there can be no ditt'ereuce 

 of opinion, if one accej)ts our principle of dealing with such names. We consider 



