324 THE entomologist's record. 



ytgr. Cat., 1871, and its var. (I) obductata, Mosch. (1860) is still left 

 uncorrected. On p. 312, callunae, Spr. (1867) is referred as a synonym 

 to (/oossoisiata , Mab. (1869) =minntata, Gn. nee Hb. ; callunae, Spr., is 

 a little puzzling, on account of its large size (more than twice as large 

 as the English specimen of goossensiata with which he compared it), 

 and if it had been cited in the synonymy with a query, there would 

 have been no fault to find, but if Herr Bohatsch-'' has satisfied himself 

 that the forms are really co- specific, why did he not restore the older 

 name ? Have the larvae, and particularly the pupte (o/V. Sheldon in 

 FJnt. Rec, vii., p. 197) yet been carefully compared side by side ? On 

 p. 364, if it were intended to unite Spilusoma lubridpeda ab. ehoraci, 

 Tugwell, with ab. intermedia, Stndf., the former sliould have had 

 priority, the dates being 1894 and 1896 respectively. 



Citations of dates for the specific names, so important for correct 

 results in nomenclature, seem generally very accurate so far as infor- 

 mation is available ; but Mr. Sherborn's recent paper on Esper's dates 

 {Attn. May. Nat. Hist. (7) vii., p. 137) evidently appeared too late to 

 be used. 



Varieties and aberrations are treated in accordance with the same 

 general methods as in the earlier edition. Dr. Kebel is careful to 

 mention in his preface that the diagnoses — which are only added to 

 the varieties and the more important recurrent aberrations — are 

 intended merely for the elucidation of the forms named, and cannot 

 in all cases obviate the necessity of consulting the literature cited ; it 

 is much to be wished that those who use the " Catalog " would 

 remember this. 



The general tendency has been to minimise the number of separ- 

 ately erected aberrations as far as possible, and to merely cite, without 

 diagnosing, the less striking or more casual ones ; in dealing with the 

 Noctuidae, it has in many cases sufficed to cite Mr. Tutt's " British 

 NoctusB," and space has been saved by not even recording all the 

 varietal (or rather aberrational) names which are there employed. But 

 in other cases, where there is no such standard work to appeal to, the 

 references are pretty comprehensive, and show a wide acquaintance 

 with current literature. It is not to be expected, however, that in 

 every detail this part of the work will give general satisfaction, and 

 certainly a few of the synonymic combinations among the refer- 

 ences to varieties and aberrations do not appear to be tenable, although 

 the great majority are well judged in consideration of the object in 

 view ; the minutiae of variation must needs be studied elsewhere. A 

 few omissions, in any case, seem sufficiently important to be worthy of 

 mention ; some could hardly have occurred had the authors been 

 acquainted with the very striking deviation from type. 



Tephroclystia (Eupithecia) jjulchellata var. hebudium, Sheldon, Eiit. Rec, xi., 

 p. 344 (1899). — This is important, being a local variety, not a mere aberration. 



Hemerophila ahniptaria abs. brunneuta, fuscata and unicolor, Tutt, Ent. Rec, 

 X., p. 172 (1898). — One, at least, of these should have been recorded and diagnosed, 

 as these melanic abruptaria are just as striking as the corresponding aberrations in 

 the Boarmias, Hybernias, &c. 



Larentia (Thera) variata ab. nigrofasciata, Gppgb., Syst. Geom., iv., p. 8[Nova 

 Acta, &c., liv., p. 440] (1890). — This, and other aberrations from the same work, 

 should at least be quoted, for the sake of completeness. 



* It is understood that this excellent lepidopterist is mainly responsible for the 

 Eupitheciae, as well as for much other useful revision in the Geometridae. 



