JOURNAL 



OF THE 



cm ^orfc ^ntcrwological Jwitty, 



Edited by Harrison G. Dvar. 



Publishes articles relating to any class of the subkingdom Arthropoda. subject 

 to the acceptance of the Publication Committee. Original communications in this 

 field are solicited. 



Kin rORIAL. 



The April issue of our interesting contemporary, Entomological 

 A r ews, contains much matter devoted to our criticism of the work 

 of its editor. We feel a sense of amusement at the editor's 

 efforts to "save his face." We would repeat that until Dr. Skinner 

 produces a better classification of the Hesperiidas, he must accept the 

 one advanced by us, or abandon all generic names and simply list the 

 species of Skippers in any order that pleases him. The generic names 

 he uses cannot be defended. We notice he has not attempted it. I )r. 

 Skinner persists in crediting the new classification to us. It is original 

 with Scudder and Watson. It was Mabille's imperfect presentation of 

 it, as applied to the American forms, that induced us to attempt the 

 subject. Dr. Skinner makes certain criticisms of the characters used, 

 with which, in part, we agree. It is probable that we are aware of 

 more imperfections in the system than Dr. Skinner is, owing to his 

 lack of critical study of genera. His dogmatic utterances that this 

 species is more nearly related to that, etc., although placed by us in 

 different genera, are not due to actual knowledge. I >r. Skinner 

 knows nothing of the early stages and belittles structure ; his assertions 

 are founded solely on his ideas of superficial resemblance. His criti- 

 cism of the use of secondary sexual characters in generic definition is, 

 perhaps, well made ; but everybody uses these convenient characters, 

 except Sir George F. Hampson, and even he uses them for subgenera. 



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