THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 125 



with closed wings, in the original edition of Drury's work and named 

 by him Bombyx cunea." 



This, of course, was an error, as Drury's figure has the wings fully 

 expanded both in the original edition and in that edited by Westwood, 

 which was printed from the original plates. 



Dr. Fyles's identification of the moths reared by him with the congrua 

 of Walker may be correct, but it would be much more satisfactory if 

 Walker's types were forthcoming ; but his treatment of the webworm 

 moths is not satisfactory. 



Referring to the many-spotted ermine moth of the South, he says 

 that its most spotted form is supposed to have been the Bombyx cunea of 

 Drury, and that therefore it is said that the name of the variety must take 

 the place of the name given by Harris, and till very lately generally 

 accepted. 



Now, the question as to whether the name textor should stand 

 depends upon a number of questions : first, upon whether the immaculate 

 form of the North is, or is not, specifically distinct from the spotted form 

 of the South ; and, second, upon whether the authorities are, or are not, 

 correct in identifying it with the budea of Hiibner ; and Dr. Fyles 

 apparently overlooked the fact that even if cunea, Drury, could be shown 

 not to have been described from a southern webworm, the name 

 punctatissima, A. & S., has priority of textor, if the two forms belong to 

 the same species. Dr. Fyles, comparing the illustration of the webworm 

 moth as figured by Dr. Riley with the figure given by Dr. Bethune in 

 Can. Ent., V., 141, instead of laying the blame for the absurd size of 

 Riley's figure upon the incorrect drawing by the artist, apparently accused 

 that eminent entomologist of confusing antigone and punctatissima, as he 

 says : " Riley's cut represents an insect 20 lines in expanse of wings 

 (it really shows one nearly 22 lines when measurement is made from 

 centre of thorax to tip of each wing). I venture to say that no fall web- 

 worm moth ever attained such a size. But latitude was necessary to take 

 in such moths as congrua and cunea." (The latter name apparently used 

 in the Fyles sense, not that of authorities generally.) And a few lines 

 further down, referring to the series of wings shown by Riley, says 

 triumphantly in italics : " There is not one of them but can be exactly 

 snatched from insects I raised, or that were taken with the mother insect 

 in the Gomin^ 



