316 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



of the Other usually determine this, though a few chance meetings should 

 hardly settle the matter. There are other arguments that may with 

 propriety he considered. 



Variety ought hardly to apply to the stem species, the primitive stock, 

 even though it may have waned in numbers, giving way to later develop- 

 ment, in whatever direction this may occur. That \x\ frigida ( perobsoleta ) 

 vv^e really see represented a stem species, and in those having the spots 

 white, a later specialized and varying form, is most probable. The 

 general Noctuid phylogeny would point in this direction and the larvse 

 also bear it out. Frigida larvae are the most generalized of any species, a 

 direct opposite to cernssata^ which is the most specialized. Limpida larvae 

 should certainly fall between the two, notwithstanding the similarity in 

 the imagoes of the first two species. Had Prof. Smith noticed the geni- 

 talic differences in the valid cerussata from his figure 25, and given 

 specific distinction, when he failed to see differences in the aggregation 

 of fiown examples at hand for study, and had these larvje remained 

 unknown, such discrimination would have received the disapproval of 

 hair-splitting — a basing of species on genitalia alone. So, a varietal term 

 for the white ma.xVQd. frigida may await further developments, the inter- 

 grades will likely appear, and if we are to name the e.Ktremes, speciosissima, 

 Harrisii, inqucesita and purpurifascia at once stand ready with variations 

 to swell the list. What this frigu/a development does convey is the need 

 for close scrutiny from ail sides, the importance of working out life- 

 histories and larval comparisons, the very striking value, in this case, of 

 structural studies. And this is no criticism, but an excuse, whereby we 

 show that it is worth while to continue a search through a decade or more, 

 in running down these wily borers. 



It may be complained, however, that descriptions of these closely- 

 allied moths should not be attempted without figures ; we often hear such 

 a complaint at any rate. But vviih this group there are things more 

 important than figures, more important than types. How many of the 

 litter, especially with these moths, will be of use for comparison a century 

 hence? Certainly none in private collections. Then there is the label, 

 that thing apart; oh, the heartburnings from a transposed label! As to 

 figures, he must be an expert indeed who can determine all the species 

 from figures, and a figure only represents one individual. 



We need more than this. We get it the moment a life-history is 

 published, giving food-plant and general biological data. From this point 



