THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 373 



the types of genera : (a) Species which were not included under the 

 generic name at the time of its original publication." Tiiese names, there- 

 fore, have no types. 



1 should not deem the occasion to justify so lengthy a discussion on 

 my part, but for the fact that Dr. Bezzi writes me that he is engaged on a 

 research into the names proposed in Diptera prior to 1800, and that he 

 has already found data sufficient to require the change of the great 

 majority of names of the older genera now in use in the Diptera. A 

 number of his conclusions have already been published. We seem to be 

 entering upon a period of nomenclatural unrest, which may leave us as 

 badly off in Diptera as w-e now are in Lepidoptera or Hemiptera, to say 

 nothing of Orthoptera and a few others. 



"Let justice be done, though the earth perish," says Mr. Hendel. 

 But justice means nothing, except with reference to some person or thing. 

 Justice to whom, or to what? Is it justice to Meigen to insist on the use 

 of names that he himself discarded for better ones? Or is it justice to 

 dipterology to overturn nomenclature to no purpose ? The case before 

 us is not Meigen versus some other ancient worthy, but Meigen versus 

 Meigen. Justice to him has already been done, and it would be flagrant 

 injustice to reopen the case. 



PLATYSAMIA COLUMBIA NOKOMIS. 



The handsome moth which occurs throughout Manitoba and the 

 Northwest Provinces, and which has always been named in collections, 

 Safnia coiu??ibia. Smith, has such a different appearance from the Ontario 

 form which seems to be the type, that' I am of the opinion the name given 

 by Dr. W. Brodie some years ago ought to be recognized. Dr. Henry 

 Skinner has also examined this insect critically during the past summer, 

 and agrees with me that Dr. Brodie's description which appeared in the 

 Biological Review of Ontario for October, 1894, pp. 103-107, should be 

 republished. This publication is not now available, and with Dr. Brodie's 

 consent I send herewith an extract from his article on Platysamia 

 Columbia ?iokomis. — James Fletcher, Ottawa. 



"Platysamia Columbla Nokomis. 

 "by wm. brodie. 



"In the Canadian Entomologist, \ o\. X, March, 1878, there is a 

 very good coloured lithograph of the larva of P. Columbia, by the late G. 

 J. Bowles, and a short paper by the late F. B. Caulfield, giving a descrip- 

 tion of the larvae. There is also on page 43 an article by C. H. Fernald, 



