(432) 



nomenclatoriall}-, as if they had the rank of species. Nor can the former view 

 be justified. There would be much more justification iu rejecting names for the 

 lower grade varieties. However, entomologists on the whole apjjear to be inclined 

 to multiply names for individuals characterised by some striking peculiarity. Now, 

 it seems to us obvious that it is impossible to provide consistently a name for every 

 peculiarity and combination of special characters observed in the specimens, since 

 every individual differs to some extent from every other, and as, further, an 

 individual may agree with a second iu some peculiarity and with a third in some 

 other character, and would have to receive two names. The number of individuals 

 is endless. The number of names cannot possibly be allowed to be so. Therefore, 

 restriction in naming individuals is absolutely necessary. We believe the most 

 sensible way of dealing with the range of individual variability, apart from marked 

 dimorphism, is that of employing, instead of names, descriptive morphological 

 terms which would cover the corresjjonding individual varieties of all the nearly 

 and distantly related species. One might have, for instance, one term for all 

 individuals of I'apilio which have yellow spots instead of the normally red ones, 

 and another term for the aberrant iudividuals which have these spots white. This 

 method has been advocated by various authors, and we think will ultimately be 

 adopted. For a study of variation this method is certainly better adapted than 

 that of giving an unlimited number of names to individuals. For a specimen 

 can bear only one name, though the individual may have many peculiarities iu 

 pattern, colour, and structure ; while by the other method it would be possible 

 to refer to each peculiarity by a special morphological term if necessary. For 

 instance, one and the same specimen may be diminutive, tailless, diffuse in 

 markings, xanthochromatic, heterographic right and left, etc. ; these peculiarities 

 could not all find expression in a name given to the specimen. However, 

 the method requires carefiil working out before it can be successfully applied 

 iu all groups. 



We have considered it sufficient in this Revision to have special names for 

 seasonal forms, and for the forms of conspicuously di- or trimorphic species 

 respectively subspecies, also in the case of this di- or trimorphism obtaining in 

 one sex only. 



Bearing these explanations in mind, the reader will not find any difficulty in 

 understanding the system of nomenclature emjiloyed. 



A fairly large number of subspecies and a few species are here described for 

 the first time, and we feel sure that there are a good many new ones yet undis- 

 covered in those parts of South and Central America and the West Indies which 

 are not exhaustively explored. The species and subspecies which are represented in 

 collections by uniques or by very few specimens is suspiciously large, always a sign 

 of the incompleteness of our knowledge of the fauna of the respective districts. 

 The interior of Brazil, especially the province of Goyaz, is still a good field for a 

 collector. The districts north of the mouth of the Amazons are also practically 

 untouched by entomological collectors, not to speak of the mountains at the 

 boundary of the Gnianas. "West and North Peru, the north coast of (Colombia, 

 the Atlantic side of the Volcano de Chiriqui, the mountains of Costa Uica, West 

 Mexico, and especially the island of Haiti (and S. Domingo) will doubtless yield 

 interesting results to a competent explorer ; and the swamjts of the Amazonian 

 region may still harbour some unknown species allied to I'apilio triopas, aeneaa 

 or (crtumnus. 



