322 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



shows a lack of attention to the work of Prof. Smytli. In the Sat- 

 urniidse, Attacus, Linn., is preferred to RotJischildia, Grote, and Calo- 

 saturtiia, Smith, is revived for our American Saturnia. It would have 

 been better if these changes had not been made. The NoHd.-e are 

 interpolated after the Lithosidfe, following Sir G. F. Hampson. They are 

 really Tineids, as Dr. Chapman and I have shown. In the Nycteolidaj, 

 Ear las oblignata, Hy. Edw., again appears. I have been at pains to 

 point out that it is a Pyralid, though it is perhaps not surprising that Prof. 

 Smith overlooked this, since the species, unfortunately, was omitted in the 

 Washington catalogue. Cydosia and Cerathosia again inject themselves 

 into the Arctiidte, in spite of the proof adduced by Prof. Grote and myself 

 that this is not their correct position. The genus Fenaria appears in the 

 Agaristidae along with other genera which I refer to the Noctuidse, but as 

 Fenaria appears also in the Noctuid^ (p. 47), it leaves some doubt as to 

 Prof. Smith's point of view. 



In the Noctuidae, Prof. Smith's changes in the specific names will 

 prove the most valuable part of the' list. I do not think he gives enough 

 weight to Prof. Grote's work on the generic names ; but this does not 

 greatly matter in the interim of the appearance of Sir G. F. Hampson's 

 volumes, which will settle these matters, I hope. Psychophora appears in 

 the Noctuidse and again in the Geometridse. Is this a facetious attem|)t 

 to express the variation in venation which we observed in the species 

 fasciata ? Mr. Beutenmiiller gives a new version of Catocala. 



The small families following the Noctuidi^ are practically unchanged. 

 I see that Malacosoma pluvialis and AI. ambisimilis have fallen into the 

 synonymy. I wonder if Prof. Smith ever compared the larvae of Cali- 

 Jornicu and pluvialis. If he had, he could hardly have made this 

 synonymy without comment. May I not justly refer Prof. Smith to the 

 words in his own preface : " It is not for the catalogue-maker to decide 

 upon the validity of species and genera except where he has special 

 knowledge " ? 



The GeometridiB, I presume, have not been changed. Mycterophora 

 still masquerades as a Geometrid, though Prof. Smith might have properly 

 transferred it to his Noctuid series. In the Limacodidte, some unwar- 

 ranted changes have been made. Miiuiia, Reak., is not Shurtleffii, 

 Pack. , and Graefii and Fiskeatia are not flexuosa ; aesonia, crypta and 

 flavula are good varieties, not synonyms. Some very bad advice has been 

 followed here. 



In the Pyralidae and subsequent groups, Mr. Kearfott is responsible, 

 and he follows my catalogue closely. I think it would have been better 

 if the catalogue had been followed throughout and the same numbers 

 retained. Many collectors use the list numbers in correspondence, and 

 the divergences introduced will cause a certain inconvenience, not com- 

 pensated for by the cases where the changes are an improvement on my 

 catalogue. These cases are not numerous, and should have been left for 

 a more general revision. Harrison G. Dvar. 



Mailed November 6lh, 1903. 



