— 222 — 



by Boisduval in "Species General" and "Lepidoptera de la California" 

 It is possible that not a few oi these maj exist with a wrong locality at- 

 tached i" the specimens, as shown by Mr. K. II. Stretch (Can. Entom.) 

 with regard to Dystauxes mediasiina, Hiibner, ami by Mr. Grote, (Ann.- 

 Lye. X. York), with reference to one oi Boisduval's species of Thyris, 

 and to Sph. Slrobi. [f this be so, however, it is well that we should 

 know it, in order that conflicting opinions regarding such species maj be 

 set .n rest. On the other hand, it is probable that a few of the species 

 mentioned may yet await re-discovery by our entomologists, and that 

 they are fully entitled to a position in our lists. 



1 may here state e. g. that Sph. lycopersici, Hois., is the Californian 

 form of Phltgethontius Carolina, L. , and that it is a heavier insect, much 

 lighter in coloration, and in every way entitled to at least a varietal name. 

 But on this, and such subjects. I desire to speak more fully later on, and 

 I will not therefore anticipate. Mr. Grote's admirable "Check List" has 

 been of immense service to all lepidopterists, and considering the great 

 amount of labor involved, it is remarkably complete. But it is to be 

 regretted, that though Mr. Grote did not desire to cumbei his work with 

 too greal an attention to synonymy, he should have omitted some names 

 of older authors which would have lightened the labors (^ the student. 

 It was hardly possible in a list of the character to which we allude, that 

 some omissions should not occur. These I have endeavored as far as 

 possible to repair, and I hope that very few species (if any) accredited to 

 North America, have been passed over by me. The present catalogue 

 contains 13 genera new to our fauna. It enumerates 247 species and 

 varieties of which 151 have been published since Grote's list — 47 were 

 omitted by Mr. Grote, and 49 bear the names of older authors, and are 

 among the doubts waiting to be cleared away. 1 desire however to state 

 that among Mr. Grote's omissions in the /Egeriadce, I am responsible 

 for 1 1 species, thus reducing those left out of the "Check List" to 36 — a 

 very small number indeed, when we take into account the volumes to be 

 searched and the references to be made. The present catalogue com- 

 mences with the Sphingidj- and ends with the Hepialidce. I have in some 

 cases altered the names of the families and subfamilies, using those which 

 are most popular, but have endeavored to follow closely the sequence of 

 the genera as given by Mr. Grote, removing the genus Gnophcela how- 

 ever, to what is now conceded to be its proper position, viz : near to the 

 Arctiidce. The references have been made with care, and I have in all 

 cases added the year in which the species is described. As nothing 

 human is perfect, I shall be greatly indebted to any of my friends if they 

 will point out errors, ami offer suggestions, should an appendix to this 

 i atalogue be called for. 



