A. 1\. G rote's Notes on the Zygscnidx of Cuba. 323 



first of these notices, contained in the Number for December, 18G5, 

 exceptions were taken to certain of my remarks, and additions were 

 made to my synonyinical citations to a number of species of North 

 American Sphingidse. Subsequently, however, what was objectionable 

 to me in this notice, because it was also erroneous, was in great part 

 withdrawn, and I have no desire to go again over the various points 

 discussed, referring the student to my subsequent Papers, written with 

 .Mr. lvobiuson. on the Synonymy of the North American Sphingidae. 

 With reference to the expressions of friendly feeling and reppect 

 towards myself, which have been elicited from Prof. Poey in the pages 

 of the Eepertorio, I thank him kindly for his consideration, and take 

 them rather as indices that the Cuban scientists are now looking to the 

 United States for assistance in the development of the knowledge of 

 their Entomological fauna, than that they are deserved by my brief 

 Papers on Cuban .Moths. These tributes of appreciation are, however, 

 more fully earned by my brother Entomologist, Mr. Ezra T. Cresson, 

 whose work on the Cuban Hymenoptera, deservedly calls for expres- 

 sions of approval. 



The Lepidoptera present, perhaps, greater difficulties to the student 

 than the other Sub-Orders of Inseeta, owing to their peculiar struc- 

 ture; so that opportunities have been offered for the erection of numer- 

 ous classificatory arrangements, which, in proportion as they are 

 arbitrary, idiosyncratic and artificial, will be found to be less just, and 

 to contain the seeds of their rejection at the hands of science. The 

 "•enera are to a great degree comparative. Clustered round some 

 central point of structural peculiarity, which is often overlooked in a 

 generic diagnosis, lie a mass of comparative differences, which alto- 

 gether combine to give a generic aspect easily felt, but at times difficult 

 to define with precision. Since science is progressive, and to advance 

 it we need new facts, we must conscientiously laj hold of all structural 

 characters, unhindered by a fear that subsequent discoveries may pos- 

 sibly prove the untenability of our conclusions, and lead to the rejec- 

 tion of our new generic determinations.* If our genera are fairly 



I would refer here to Hiibner's remarks in the introductionary Preface to 

 the third Volume of the '• Zutrrege,'* pp. 3 — 4. These take the form of an 

 apology fur the number of new generic names introduced by him, but the just- 

 ness of his generic determinations is very evident in the great majority of 

 instances. Whatever of corroborative value is conveyed to a genus by the 

 discovery of fresh species, lias been added, in my present Papers on Cuban 

 Zygsenidse, to the genera Horama, Apistosia, etc. The introductory remarks of 

 llubuer to the first Volumes of the " Zutraege," are full of modest genius and de- 



