June. iy04.] SmiTH: CATALOGUE OF THE NOCTUID.E. 101 



is a surprise in several ways. The insect does not at all agree with 

 the other Pachnobia of our fauna in general appearance or habitus and 

 is altogether out of the faunal range of the genus. Furthermore, 

 hiljiris was preoccupied in Agrotis when described and was therefore 

 a bad name. Mr. Grote himself recognized this and changed the term 

 to bqilii. As matters then stood the change was correctly and neces- 

 sarily made and subsequent changes in classification should not be 

 allowed to invalidate a course which was proper when taken. My 

 Sctagrotis tojjfica also finds a place in this composite genus which 

 thereby becomes ever more interesting. 



I have not noted, heretofore, that Mr. Hampson rarely recog- 

 nizes either a W or a K in a specific name — it is almost always a V 

 or a C. Now this is of course entirely right from the view-point of 

 the philologist so far as the W is concerned ; but why ignore the K, 

 which does have a right to exist ? In some cases the change causes 

 a momentary puzzle, as when okakeiisis is written ocacensis ; but the 

 effect is positively startling when we read voccei and are "expected to 

 recognize wockei in that disguise. Wocke is not good Latin, perhaps \ 

 but since the practice of naming species after individuals has been 

 recognized, it would seem as though a Latin termination only might 

 be considered sufficient. The same is true when a name is taken from 

 a locality where the language used has no Latin source or where, as in 

 America, Indian tribal or other names are sometimes employed. 

 Changes like those cited make a name irrecognizable without an 

 explanation attached. 



Agrotis rava H, S., is made a synonym of A. quadrangula Zett., 

 all under Episilia, and this is probably correct. 



Lycophotia Hbn., as used by Hampson includes among others. Peri- 

 droiiia Hbn., Seiagrotis Sm., Agrotis scandens, and many of the species 

 I call Noctua ; so there is also quite a range, generic and specific under 

 this term. Haworth's name inargaxitosa replaces saiicia, though the 

 former is undoubtedly the less usual form of the species. L. infecta 

 Ochs., replaces our Peridroma incivis On., perhaps correctly. I did 

 not feel at all sure on this point in 1893, and such South American 

 forms as I have seen, do certainly indicate two species. Adita chi- 

 ouantid \. & S., remains solitary. My genus Plata^rotis is replaced 

 by Aplectoidfs Butler, a generic term that I had overlooked, and only 

 our American species belong to it. So Ufciis remains as in our lists. 

 Hadcna evelina French, is placed in Anytiis, erroneously I think ; but 



