42 INSECUTOR INSCITI^ MENSTRUUS 



to constitute publication. If the Tentamen was not published, 

 neither is the "List" we are now noticing published, nor are 

 Barnes & McDunnough's "Contributions" published. These 

 things are printed, distributed and obtainable from the auth- 

 ors, while the edition lasts. I do not know the size of the edi- 

 tion authorized by the patronage of Miss Jessie D. Gillette ; I 

 do not know the size of Hiibner's edition of the Tentamen. I 

 apprehend that the point is unessential. The fact that a ma- 

 jority of European writers have discarded the Tentamen does 

 not prove, to my mind, that the Tentamen should be discarded. 

 The majority is not always right, nor is an appeal to the ma- 

 jority always in order. 



An attempt has been made, in the Noctuidse, to restore the 

 generic names on the basis of the old determinations of types, 

 instead of the "first species" method arbitrarily used by Hamp- 

 son. While I have personally favored this method, I did so 

 only in case it was officially adopted, which will probably never 

 be the case. We must abide by the rules of nomenclature al- 

 ready established and, therefore, I think that this effort of 

 Barnes & McDunnough is highly to be commended. To cor- 

 rect Hampson throughout will be a very difficult matter, deal- 

 ing, as he does, with the world fauna. 



A few matters of detail that strike the eye may be noted. To 

 criticise exhaustively, the list must be gone over name by name, 

 a matter for which I do not consider the expenditure of time 

 commensurate with the anticipated results. 



No. 45. A. caliente Wright is lettered as a variety, but 

 printed in synonymic type. Which is intended? 



No. 790. H. burnsi Watson should be listed as a of 789. See 

 my recent note (Ins. Insc, Mens., iv. 131, 1916). 



No. 781. Thauma socialis Feisth. should be marked as doubt- 

 fully North American; its home is in Chili. There is no re- 

 cent confirmation of its reported occurrence in British Colum- 

 bia. 



No. 796. The determination should be revised. I do not 

 think the form of Hylesia occurring in Arizona is alinda Druce. 

 Unfortunately, I have no specimens at the moment. 



