THE GENUS PHILOMETRA. 



165 



far as the bibliographical features are concerned, and none of 

 these have ever been misunderstood, so far as I have learned. 

 On the question of Mr. Butler's preference for some other method 

 I can of course have nothing to offer. 



Two of Mr. Butler's points are well taken : — It is gaosalis 

 instead of goasalis ; and the species is first described in vol. xix. 

 p. 876, not in vol. xvi. p. 134. How I made the error I do not 

 know, nor is it material ; similar errors occur in many large 

 catalogues, ^.s a result metonalis, Wlk., takes priority, and the 

 synonymy is as Mr. Butler gives it, — a mere substitution of one 

 Walker name for another. 



Concerning the generic terms used, I have concluded that 

 Chytolita is not the same as Herminia, whichever species is used 

 as type ; but yet less does it correspond with Zandognatha, as 

 Mr. Butler seems to indicate. 



The type of Herminia cannot, even yet, be considered finally 

 fixed, for there is no agreement in the matter ; but assuming 

 that Dr. Moore was correct in fixing harhalis as typical, our 

 American species of Philometra are not congeneric, if Lederer's 

 description of antennae and venation of the European form are 

 accurate. The basis for my conclusions on this point will be 

 found in the descriptions and drawings in my ' Eevision of the 

 American Deltoids.' 



There remains one point only to be considered, and that is — 

 ** Under goasalis Walker has also a specimen of Herminia petre- 

 alis, Grt., which he did not recognize as distinct." I meant just 

 what I said ; and if metonalis had been intended, I would have 

 used that name. Eeferring to my original notes I find that, in 

 examining one box, I made the memorandum : — " Epizeuxis 

 gaosalis, Wlk. ? Type = Chytolita pctrealis, Grt. Type "; indi- 

 cating that I compared the specimen with the Grote material. 

 Later in my note-book, seventeen other memoranda intervening, 

 I come upon the note referring to another box : — " Epizeuxis 

 goasalis, Type from Nova Scotia =- Phil, longilabris. Another 

 specimen is labelled in Walker's handwriting, and is petrealis, 

 Grote. The type must govern." 



Walker's description indicates only one specimen, that from 

 Nova Scotia ; but there is nothing to prevent other specimens 

 being labelled by Walker after the description ; and that Walker 

 mentioned only one specimen in 1859, cannot be used as an 

 argument against any statement of mine based on an examina- 

 tion made in 1891. I therefore wish the above extracts from my 

 notes to stand as a reiteration of the paragraph quoted from my 

 Catalogue, and I assert their correctness. 



Mr. Butler's corrections in the really essential parts of his 

 criticism are admitted, and need no apology, since truth and 

 accuracy are the ends for which both he and I professedly 

 labour. 



