A DAY 8 PUPA-HUNTING IN OCTOBER. 27 



with beautiful green wings, surmounted in their centre ])y a delicate rosy 

 flush across which a dark band ]-uns, float before your eyes. Yes, it 

 will be yours some day. Tlic enjoyment of a days pupa-hunting does 

 not end with the deliglits of the day itself. It reaches its fulness when 

 the lovely moths emerge ; Init it does not end even then, for the sight of 

 them in after years calls to mind gh)rious autumn skies, bursts of 

 autunni brilliancy, of crimson and gold, when " autumn spends her 

 gold, freehanded as a harlot," beautiful sunsets, which would fade from 

 memory over and over again, were it not that the trophies of the day's 

 work refuse to let memory slumber or to forget the beauties which they 

 recall. 



The sunset is a glorious one. The deep purple clouds lift above the 

 horizon in the west, and below lies a sea of pale blue, fading into 

 yellow or amber. Crimson streaks run along the l)anks of dark cumuli 

 and flashes of orange shine out with brilliancy, as the sun sinks below 

 the clouds into tlie pale blue sea below. The crimson hues spread from 

 the western sky and fade upwards into purple, which blends insensibly 

 with the ever-deepening azure which looms above us, whilst the silent 

 flocks of starlings hurry to their roosting places. The plovers show 

 their snowy breasts, and fly with lialting and uncertain movement. 

 The starlings settle, and Babel is let loose at once. The westering sun 

 will soon disappear ; but ere it does so, the slanting rays burnish Avith 

 gold the trees and hedgerows, or make the cottage windows there 

 sheets of crimson beauty. The gentle breeze scarcely rustles among the 

 last yellow leaves of the birch, or the crimson leaves of the beech, the 

 light steals in ever-lengthening shades down the woodland vistas, 

 whilst the entomologist pockets trowel and chisel, and steps blithely 

 out for home, rejoicing over his newly-acquired treasures. 



Qeiieric ]\[anies in the JSfoctuidae. 

 By A. E. GROTE, A.M. 



The interest which is felt in ascertaining the oldest name for species 

 does not manifest itself to tlie same extent when genera come in ques- 

 tion. Perhaps for the reason that there is less agi-eement as to generic 

 characters and less practical value attached to the combined name. The 

 proposal of Guenee, that no two species of Owlet Moths should retain 

 the same specific name, while a very sensible one, indicates the greater 

 importance which attaches to the specific title. In realit}', the law of 

 priority must regulate also the application of generic names, so that, 

 lor the past quarter of a century, I have been insisting on the adoption 

 of the oldest titles in the Noetuidae in Nortli American literature ; and, 

 since the changes proposed by me affect European nomenclature, 1 

 take the liberty of publishing some of them in this Journal. 



The fact that most of the generic names proposed at the beginnin"- 

 of the century by Hiibner, Ochsenheimer and Treitsclike, and now in 

 use, are catalogue names, originally jtublislied without a description, 

 suffices to sliow that sucli names are entitled to be considered under 

 the law of priority. In an opposite view, no criterion exists by wliich 

 we can decide how much or liow little of a description is sufficient to 

 authorise a generic name. A catalogue name, proposed for certain 

 described species, sufficiently designates what is intended. The generic 



