134 THE entomologist's kkooed. 



Africa. But it is more probable that the small size is due rather to the 

 exposed situation and scanty vegetation, and, as already stated, Con- 

 tinental humiliata are by no means always so large and tine as those in 

 the Zeller collection, with which, probably, Mr. Barrett made com- 

 parison ; indeed, Frey (Die Lepidopt. der Schiceiz., p. 193) expressly 

 states that Zeller's Bergiin specimens were exceptionally large and deeply 

 coloured ; and de la Harpe's statement (Nene Denlcschr. Schweiz. Geftell., 

 xiii., p. 22) that it varies in size and colour, diminishing in dry and 

 arid places, is, perhaps, to the point. 



As my object in writing these notes was to show clearly the relation 

 of our two species to those of the Continent, it is not necessary to go 

 into tlieir histoi-y ; but I should like to say that it has been admirably 

 worked out, side by side, by Milliere {I.e.), by Rossler (Jahrb. des 

 Nassau. Vereins, Jahrg. 33-34, " Die Schuppenfliigler "), and by Dr. 

 Snellen van VoUenhoven, (?) in Sepp's Nederlandsche Inselcten fserie 2, 

 vol. iv., p. 50, et seq.), the latter being apparently quite ignorant of 

 Milliere 's work. 



Mr. Tutt (Ent. Bee, vol. iv., p. 75) says, " all the German 

 humiliata I have received have been our common interjectaria ; " and, on 

 the following page, says that his " ignorance of this is perfect at 

 present." I have been more fortunate, for the only two specimens I 

 have received from the Continent (from Herr August Hoffmann) are 

 quite correctly named ; but, at any rate, if any reader wishes to find 

 out what Continental entomologists understand by osseata, Hb. (^-humi- 

 liata, Hufn.), I should recommend him to look up Milliere's or Sepp's 

 excellent figures. 



Perhaps it will be of interest, by and by, to contribute to the Record 

 a brief summary of the work of the authors mentioned in the matter of 

 life-history, etc. ; now it only remains to complete this article by giving 

 the corrected synonymy of the recently introduced species. South's 

 list is perfectly accurate as regards dilutaria, unless, perhaps, it would 

 be safer to read Hb. (?) for Hb. 



Acidalia,Tr., humiliata, Hufn., Berl. Mag.,\v.,l^o. 89: osseata, Hb, 

 102: Tr., vi., 2, 32: Dup., viii. : Gn., i., 467: Mill., Ic., 64, 7: 

 lion. Haw. 



fhe gale of the late ]VIp. JVIacliiii's JVIacro-lepidoptera. 



By A LOOKER-ON. 



Stevens' sale-room on February 26th appeared to have been swept 

 and garnished ; the air was clear, and the sunlight got through the 

 windows ; in short, there was quite a moral atmospliere in the rooms 

 during the afternoon. There were no long series of rarities such as 

 one finds in the collections of men of means. The collection on sale was just 

 a typical British one, made by an honest English gentleman, albeit 

 a toiler with his hands for his daily bread. It was iu the very finest 

 condition, the specimens well set, and with reliable data as to where 

 most of them came from. I had heard that the whole collection 

 (Macros and Micros) had been offered to a provincial museum for a 

 sum not much exceeding £200, but had been refused. Probably the 

 price was considered exorbitant by those who had to determine the 

 matter. That the Macros produced roughly £370, whilst the Micros 

 (by far the better part of the collection) have yet to be sold, seems to 



