THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 23 



Monograph of the Bomdycine Moths : /. Notodontidce ; by Alpheus 

 S. Packard, M. D., National Academy of Sciences, Vol. VII. 

 This magnificent work is, without doubt, an immense credit to the 

 author, and will take a permanent place among the triumphs of American 

 Lepidopterology. It is not my intention to discuss matters of general 

 classification or nomenclature here. My reasons for differing on certain 

 points as to the latter have all been given elsewhere, and the merits of 

 the Comstock-Dyar classification have been insisted upon by Dr. Dyar. 

 Dr. Packard's work, as a whole, with its superb technical execution, has a 

 value which could have been only enhanced by his attention to points of 

 nomenclature, which I believe cannot be properly contradicted, and by / 

 his adhesion to a scheme of general classification, which I believe can- 

 not be adequately gainsaid. I can here, out of my present limited 

 knowledge, merely mention a {^ff points, which may be of general or 

 only of particular interest. There are a few errors in authorities. I do 

 not know why my Notodonta stragiiia and Schiziira leptinoides and S. 

 eximia are given to Grote and Robinson (plates). Nor do I know why 

 my name is placed in brackets after Heterocampa Belfragei. I described 

 the latter as a Heterocampa, and have no responsibility for its having 

 been placed under Litodonta, a reference which never occurred to me. 

 I differ from Dr. Packard as to the validity of Litodonta. The costa is 

 straighter, the primary fuller outwardly over internal angle, apex sharper, 

 while the antennal structure is decisive, as compared with Heterocampa 

 subrotata; the orange spots are peculiar. B. subrotata is a miniature 

 obliqua, and is placed next in my list. H. celtiphaga is founded on 

 obscurely marked and small specimens, probably not different specifically, 

 Litodonta may be a more specialized form, from the character of the 

 female antennae ; the discovery of the larva will be attended with interest. 

 The unhappy influence which Mr. Walker has exercised is very apparent, 

 and the synonymy of Schizicra ipomece exhibits this at its worst. I do 

 not insist upon the validity of S. telifer as a species ; the black streaks 

 are very distinct in both sexes and our nomenclature was invented to 

 designate such forms, if not as species then as varieties. With regard to 

 Hyparpax, and in connection with Dr. Packard's remarks upon H. 

 perophoroides, I again draw attention to my previous statements as to 

 Abbot and Smith's plate, that the figure of the female aurora at least 

 approaches that form. The late Mr. Hy. Edwards sent me at one time 

 a damaged specimen (I think without head or feet) of a well-sized pink 



