" Trir]topti'nj(i!a lUiidnifu." 3 



Schauiu was (jualitied to judge of the descriptions or diagnostic 

 characters of a Trichopteryx may be gathered from his own 

 words, words spoken at the time when he presented to me the 

 collection of his American Trichopterygia. I liad asked his 

 assistance in determining their species, and in reply he said 

 " L must leave them entirely to you, for I kiioin iinthiu(i ichut- 

 cver of tin it cla-s-s." These were the very words of my esteemed 

 friend, and uttered on such an occasion were indelihly fixed on 

 my mind. 



But I have never found fault with Gillmeister's specific 

 descriptions, ^s far as they go they are correct and good ; 

 no amount of excellence in specific descriptions can however in 

 any way atone for a reckless disregard of the commonest rules of 

 nomenclature. Dr. Cxillmeister was well aware that M. Allihert 

 had already })ul)lished (U'scriptions of a great majority of the 

 very species on which he was himself engaged, and he must also 

 have known that M. Allibert's names had been accepted by the 

 Entomologists of France, at all times an important i)art of the 

 scientific Avorld ; if he considered M. Allibert's descriptions 

 insufficient, he might, as I did, without difficulty have obtained 

 an examination of the type specimens, Init he ado])ted the read- 

 iest method of avoiding trouble, ignored the work of M. Allibert, 

 and either substituted fresh names for his species, or ([Uoted 

 their names as synonyms of s])ecies to whicli they did not refer. 



The manner in which he treated J)r. Aube was etpially 

 inexcusable. Dr. Aube with his usual kindness had forwarded 

 type-specimens of all the species contained in his fine collection 

 to assist Dr. (lillmeister in his work ; they were sul)se((uently 

 returned to Dr. Aube in a very unsatisfactory condition ; to such 

 S])ecies as Dr. (lillmeister had recognized h(^ had attached labels, 

 those which he did not know lie liad left unnoticed. ft may l)e 

 thought that 1 am making a hold assertion, hut if llic colliM'tion 

 of Dr. Ault(' still exists, any<ni(' wlui will examine it may con- 

 vince himself (if the fai't. For in that cullection lie will tind 

 two examples of one of the most distinct and most sti'iking 

 species of tlie whole family, viz, Hui.irnis Jj/imnn's, lalielle(l as 

 having been setit to Dr. ( iillmeister, and retunieil without 

 remark. There may be others found in a similar condition, 

 though, as it is a long time since I have seen tJie collection, 1 



I! 2 



