﻿Dec. 1895] Packard. Some Bombycine Caterpillars. 1T5 



yet started by means of " Butterfly Books." I would appeal to every 

 thinking lepidopterist to discountenance the use of erroneous generic 

 names such as Acronycta, Xylina, Erastria, Tceniocampa, in order to 

 spare future students from the necessity of a more troublesome change. 

 It has come to such a pass in Europe that the names for genera are 

 largely wrong, and that in England one set of names (Guenee's in the 

 main) are used, on the Continent another (Lederer's in the main). I 

 have made the effort from the first, and as soon as I saw (1873-4) that 

 the nomenclature was improperly founded, to restore the proper generic 

 titles. A heavy responsibility rests on those who, unable to furnish any 

 but subjective and erroneous arguments, try to overturn this work. For 

 it must ultimately obtain, but not, perhaps, until the wrong names have 

 permeated literature and produced confusion. The authors of this con- 

 fusion are then Messrs. Lintner, Smith and their followers, and time 

 will place them in this position if they persist. But.it is yet time. 

 Nothing but the most tentative work has yet been published on these 

 families. The species have been barely covered with titles. All the 

 "Revisions" are so faulty in almost every respect that they will soon 

 be revised. Let us then clear the track of wrong generic titles and 

 refuse to enter into the inheritance which modern European literature 

 offers us. Each genus must have its exact type, and the oldest generic 

 names, irrespective of persons, must prevail. 



EARLY STAGES OF SOME BOMBYCINE 

 CATERPILLARS. 



By A. S. Packard. 



The follov/ing observations were made during the summer of 1894, 

 and I desire to express my indebtedness to Mr. William Dearden, of 

 Providence, who kindly furnished me with the eggs of certain of the 

 species. 



Perophora melsheimerii. 



The eggs were received from Mr. H. Meeske, of Brooklyn; they 

 hatched in Providence, R. I., June 21, 22. 



Larva, Stage I. — Length 3 mm. Head and prothoracic shield of 

 the same width, being as wide as the body in front, which slightly 

 tapers toward the end from the middle of the body ; they (head and 



