HAPHAZARD NAMING OF ABEKRATIUNS OK LEPIDOPTERA, 129 



haphazard, but should be based on a thorough study of a species 

 over the whole area of its distribution. Time was, when the naming 

 of a striking aberration of a species was not likely to create a synonym, 

 but, owing to the extended systematic work already done on the 

 variation of certain superfaniilies of the lepidoptera, the renaming of 

 already described aberrations and varieties is at the present thiie 

 creating a considerable number of synonyms. It appears to me that 

 in the interests of science this haphazard naming of aberrations should 

 cease, and that students of variation should, before naming any 

 aberration, look up the literature of the subject, at least so far as to 

 know exactly (1) what is the original description of the species — some 

 of our German lepidopterists have renamed the types as aberrations — 

 (2) what other forms of the species have been described. Our conti- 

 nental friends appear to take Staudinger's Cataloi/ia', 3rd edition, as 

 their guide on the subject, but this is absurd, as everyone acquainted 

 with the literature of their subject knows, for Staudinger has studiously 

 neglected almost everything done in this direction since the issue of 

 the 2nd edition in 1871, adding only such forms as he himself has 

 described, and a few others apparently selected haphazard from the 

 various German magazines. The result is, that not only Huene but 

 Schultz in the lllus. XeitscJirift fur KntoiitoliKiir, Lutzau and others 

 have recently duphcated various names, the latter having been called 

 seriously to book in the Sorietas Kntniiinloiju-a by Kusnezow for renam- 

 ing the form of t Iculena adiista which avb named ab. vin/ata as far 

 back as 1892 in British Noctitae, iii., p. 74. In the last month's 

 Socirtas Kntoiiiuloj/ica, Fuchs has stupidly renamed Anchocelis helvola 

 ab. Hniculur, as cinnaiiioinea. The ignorant critics of those who 

 prefer to name marked aberrations and local races will surely continue 

 their lucubrations, but those of us who are convinced of the wisdom 

 of the practice should not stultify our position by a mode of action 

 which can only bring our work into contempt. The man who names 

 an extra-spotted aberration of I'lpinepltdc fit/ianKs, without first refer- 

 ring to the original description of the species and to the forms already 

 named in the British and foreign magizines, is more likely to be creating 

 a synonym than otherwise. Let hiui record the aberration certainly, but 

 if he has neither the time nor library at disposal to work out his subject 

 thoroughly, let him not name it. A man who will take up a single 

 species, obtain long series of the species, not only from the various 

 parts of the Uritish Islands but also from all available points in its 

 foreign distribution, and will then thoroughly work out the literature 

 of the species, will be in a position to discuss the variation of the 

 species and to give a summary of its varieties and aberrations. Such 

 work is valuable, and such tabulations should carry names, but in our 

 complaint against haphazard naming of chance aberrations without 

 a study of the species to the extent we have suggested, we are sure we 

 shall be in agreement with all those lepidopterists who have thought 

 about the matter. 



One other point is perhaps worth noting. In naming aberrations 

 we consider that the name should cover the peculiarity noted, r.//., 

 niijra, liUea, pnncta, &c., whilst local races or varieties should indicate 

 the locality whence the form comes, e.<i., lucarnensis (the local form 

 from Locarno), cantienais (the local form from Kent), &c. 



