NOTES ON THE LEPIDOPTERA OF NATAL. 5 



politically belonging to Denmark, as the Slietlands and Orkneys 

 did until after the middle of the 15th century, are geographically 

 a portion of the British Islands. The Shetland Islands lie lialf- 

 way between Norway and the Fjeroes, and I am quite of opinion 

 that the Lepidoptera of the Faeroes should appear in our cabinets 

 in a collection strictly of the indigenous Lepidoptera of the 

 British Isles, viewed geographically ; precisely as, for the converse 

 reason, I should exclude the insects of the Channel Islands and 

 Heligoland, which geographically belong to France and Germany 

 respectively, but politically to England. 



To my mind the inclusion of the Shetlands and Orkneys in 

 the British Isles for entomological purposes, simply because they 

 were mortgaged in 14()9 to James III. of Scotland by the king of 

 Denmark and not redeemed, and the exclusion of the Faeroe Isles 

 onl}' because they still remain a part of the dominion of the king 

 of Denmark, is absurd. It would indeed be a novelty to deal with 

 the geographical distribution of animals on a political basis. 

 6, Haddo Villas, Blackheath, London, S.E., November, 1881. 



NOTES ON THE LEPIDOPTERA OF NATAL. 

 By a. J. Spillek. 



I SHOULD have replied to Mr. Gooch's criticisms respecting my 

 article on the " Rhopalocera of Natal" before this, hut observing 

 that a series of papers from his pen on the Lepidoptera of that 

 colony was appearing in the 'Entomologist,' I awaited their 

 conclusion before so doing. I find no fault whatever with Mr. 

 Gooch for thus criticising my article, but at the same time I claim 

 my right to reply to certain misleading statements. 



Mr. Goocli too hastily assumes that I intended my article to 

 be exhaustive of Natal Rhopalocera, and expresses regret that I 

 did not communicate with Mr. Trimen in order that it might be 

 more complete. But my object in writing was principally to 

 inform collectors at home of the species that had actually come 

 under my notice during the comparatively short time of my 

 residence here ; consequently I do not write about species that 

 were supposed to occur elsewhere, but which had not, up to this 

 time, come under my own personal observation. 



