1912.] 253 



Food plant. — Bedel states that this species feeds on Tussilago 

 farfara, but in this country it certainly lives upon Senecio jacobcea, 

 and its distribution is general throughout the kingdom. 



Yurs.—jwiveri, All. [L'Abeille, III, pp. 302, 408, 1866]. This 

 form differs from the type in having the thorax rather more rufescent 

 and the suture strongly marked in black, so that supei-ficially it might 

 appear to belong to Sect. IV, and its occurrence on the same plant as 

 that on which L. senecionis is found has been the cause of much 

 confusion. The var. poweri indeed very much resembles that species, 

 and can only be distinguished from it by its distinctly weaker 

 punctuation both of thorax and elytra, lighter posterior femora, and 

 shorter tibial spurs. 



It is found rarely with the normal form, and intermediate examples 

 with the sutvire more or less distinctly darkened also occur. 



nigrithorax, Heikertiuger. This is a form with thorax as well as 

 suture pitchy. It appears to be an extreme variety of power i, and 

 althovxgh we have not seen British specimens, may well occur m 

 this country. 



{To he concluded.) 



ON IMPOSSIBLE SPECIFIC NAMES. 

 BY EDWARD MBYRICK, B.A., F.R.S. 



A short reply to Mr. Busck seems called for ; but there are so 

 many misconceptions and so much logical inaccuracy in his article 

 that I fear I cannot pretend to treat it thoroughly. 



(1) Mr. Busck' s main position is the singular one that nonsense- 

 names in small quantity (his own) are quite nice, but in large quantity 

 (Mr. Kearfott's) are deplorable. How can any logical distinction be 

 made here? Mr. Busck calls an insect hana, and it is " acceptable" ; 

 Mr. Kearfott wishes to call one hatia ; would Mr. Busck object because 

 liana holds the field, or would he permit him ? If he adopts the latter 

 course, and Mr. Kearfott then proposes to call another dana, why 

 draw any line there ? Can he say " We allow you one absurdity, but 

 two would l)e monstrous " ? My position on the other hand is clear ; 

 any nonsensical specific name is non-existent. 



(2) He immediately proceeds to stultify his own position by the 

 further contention that all these deploral)le names should notwith- 

 standing be allowed to stand, in ridiculous homage to the priority- 



