THE LEPIDOPTERIST 31 



before they decide to hatch. In this respect this form 

 differs from Er. lanestris of which I reared a number 

 of specimens after only one hibernation ; it may be that 

 the habits of Er. arbusculcc, if the report is not exag- 

 gerated, are due to climatic influences. As the matter 

 stands, the collector has to choose between a search for 

 the adult in ratlier laborious early-spring excursions, 

 or the rearing of the larvae, and in the latter case has 

 to weapon himself with a great deal of patience. 



Nomenclature of Catocala Varieties 



By Harrison G. Dyar 



It is a rule of nomenclature that all names of less 

 value than the genus shall be given exactly the same 

 standing and that such a name shall be used only once 

 in the same genus. Whether the name is specific, 

 subspecific, varietal, aberrational or any other category, 

 makes no difference, the name can appear in only one 

 sense under the same generic heading. The above 

 remark is apropos of Mr. Reiff's article on page 15 

 of this publication where we find the following : 



Catocala arnica aurantiaca Reiff 

 Catocala arnica lineella aurantiaca Reiff 

 Catocala arnica nerissa aurantiaca Reiff 

 Catocala arnica mclanotica aurantiaca Reiff 

 Catocala arnica novanglia^ aurantiaca Reiff 



This is not admissible. The name aurantiaca can 

 occur but once in the genus Catocala. Moreover, 

 species or forms cannot be named collectively as Mr. 

 Reiff has attempted to do. Each form must be based 

 on actual specimens which should be specified as to 

 locality, etc. The necessity of this is obvious, as we 

 are naming actual objects, not mental concepts. It 

 has been found by experience that it is inexpedient to 

 anticipate the works of creation and this is what 

 collective naming or the use of concepts instead of 

 actual specimens involves. The name aurantiaca as 



