THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 197 



Anterior wings white, with a great number of spots, differently shaped, 

 of a sooty black colour. On the external margin are five spots, those 

 nearest the tips being shaped like triangles. Posterior wings white, with a 

 sooty spot on each near the external edge, and a very faint small 

 mark near the exterior angle. Under side. — Legs black. Breast and 

 abdomen ash colour. The wings marked as on the upper side." 



We may well ask, Would anyone identify H. pundatissima by 

 this description ? Riley (as Mr. Lyman has said) has given us the 

 "range" of variation of this variable species. He has given us ten 

 representations (there are ten — Mr. Lyman did not count correctly). 

 Possibly a hundred more might have been introduced, but Riley gives 

 the range. The extremes are there. Take / andy at one extreme of the 

 series, those that have the triangles upon which so much stress has been 

 laid. Do they answer to the description ? No ; the triangles are at the 

 wrong e7id I 



Reference has been made to the name cunea. The name cunea 

 carries its own meaning. Cunea = cuneia (Gr.), of, or pertaining to, 

 a dog, and this, with the generic term Spilosoma (spotted body), makes 

 up a very fitting appellation for the species. 



How ainea can properly be derived from cunens (L.), a wedge, has 

 not been shown us. As Mr. Lyman says, I have chosen to call the 

 Bombyx cunea of Drury a Spilosoma. I have done so because Westwood 

 and Walker chose to call it so ; and because we have not the slightest 

 particle of evidence that the insect was an Hyphantrian, 



In the January number of the Canadian Entomologist for this year, 

 page i6, appear these words from Dr. Dyar : "There can be no manner 

 of doubt of Drury's figure. It represents the spotted form of Hyphantria. 

 The description of the abdomen at the last resort is conclusive." I passed 

 this enigmatical statement by as " one of those things that no fellah can 

 understand." But Mr. Lyman has acted as interpreter. He says : 

 " In the January number of the present year Ur. Dyar very briefly points 

 out Dr. Fyles's error, calling attention to the fact that of cunea the 

 abdomen is described as ' concolori nigro-maculato,' the English descrip- 

 tion saying back and abdomen ash-colour." 



Let us see how things stand : 

 I. a. Walker's cunea had the abdomen yellowish, white on the hind 

 borders of the segments and towards the 

 tip (B. M. Cat. HI., p. 669, n. 7). 



