308 THE entomologist's recoed, 



has scattered a huge lot of lepidoptera to the four winds of heaven, but 

 Mason's reputation was based on a more solid foundation than his 

 collection, and his works will endure long after his collection has passed 

 into "forgottenness." Besides quiet old W, Johnson of Lancashire, 

 we have lost J. W. Douglas, friend of Stainton, Frey, Zeller, and 

 a host of others whose names will never be forgotten whilst entomology 

 lasts, and, on the other side. Dr. Alpheus Packard, who practically 

 worked till he died, has done more for American entomology than the 

 western race yet seems to recognise. There can be no doubt, however, 

 that his name also will go down to the entomological ages, and that 

 he, being dead, will yet speak to future generations in his work. 



There have been no books on lepidoptera of first rank published 

 this year, or we do not remember any. Kellogg's on General Ento- 

 mology is, perhaps, a sound summary — not an "epoch-marking" 

 one, and the part on Lepidoptera is one of the least satisfactory sections. 

 We have published our own Practical HinU for the Field Lepi- 

 dopterist, part iii, scorned by the scientific lepidopterist, yet the most 

 popular book evidently that we have ever written, and of which part i 

 will have to be reprinted as soon as time can be spared. The first two 

 parts of "A Natural History of the British Butterflies" have been 

 launched, and the printer is at work on Volume V of the Natural 

 History of the British Lepidoptera, but this cannot now see the light in 

 1905. " 



If this be the retrospect of a lazy British entomologist, the writer 

 cannot help it — he apologises fully and amply. Mr. Prout has cried 

 oft" the last two years, nor threats nor cajoling will tempt another to 

 follow — but as our readers ask for a retrospect I offer them this, 

 knowing that, if it can add nothing to my reputation, it denotes a 

 willingness to attempt what others refuse to tackle. To everyone we 

 hope 1905 has been a season of success, to everj'one we trust that 1906 

 will be a season of still greater success. 



Hybrid Lepidoptera. 



By Rev. C. R. N. BURROWS. 



Theory is quite foreign to my character, but I cannot resist entering 

 into the field in support of the ever-increasing number of entomo- 

 logical hybrids. I had no idea how large an army of these curious 

 products had come into existence with man's assistance. Excluding 

 the hypothetical, because captured wild, forms or combinations, the 

 large list of hybrids plainly suggests, possibly proves, one or two 

 points. I am asking myself what it all means ? And the question 

 appears to lead me to one of two answers. 



But first of all, if it be a fact that the closer be the relation of the 

 parents of fertile ova, the more certain is the pairing, what a tremen- 

 dous justification of our arrangements and classifications. By what 

 a curious side wind does proof thus tread on the heels of theory ! Now 

 does this successful pairing, of what we consider to be separate species, 

 prove that we are mistaken in our specific diflerentiation, or does it 

 only prove close, or the closest, relationship '? If the former, then as we 

 advance with our experiments in hybridisation, we shall have to reduce 

 the number of species, reiuoe our lists, and reconstruct altogether 

 our varieties and aberrations. While if, on the other hand, hybridisa- 



