228 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



In his observations on larva of Lepidoptera, he remarks : — 

 " The front legs are usually called the true legs, the others pro- 

 legs ; but this latter designation is a most unfortunate one, the 

 term ' pro ' being in entomology used to signify anterior. It is, 

 therefore, better to call the three anterior pairs thoracic legs, 

 and the others abdominal feet, distinguishing the hind pair of 

 these latter as claspers. There is, too, an unfortunate dis- 

 crepancy amongst entomologists in their manner of counting the 

 body-segments ; some count the head as the first segment, while 

 others apply this term to the first thoracic segment. The latter 

 is the more correct course, for, as the head is not a single seg- 

 ment, it should not be called such in a terminology that affects 

 to be morphologically exact, not simply descriptive." 



The Lepidoptera are here treated in the usual two divisions, 

 i. e., Ehopalocera and Heterocera. Six families — namely Nymph - 

 alid?e (eight subfamilies), Erycinidaa (two subfamilies), Lycsenidse, 

 Pierida% Papilionidse, and Hesperiidre — are included in the first 

 division or series ; but Dr. Sharp would seem to hold the opinion 

 that the first three families are so closely related that they might 

 be allied in one group. 



The Hesperiidas he considers to be more nearly allied to the 

 Heterocera than to the Papilionida; ; and he states that "when 

 the classification of Lepidoptera is more advanced, so that the 

 various natural groups placed in that suborder are satisfactorily 

 distinguished, it is probable that the Hesperiidfle will be altogether 

 separated from Ehopalocera." He does not suppose, however, 

 that lepidopterists will be inclined to accept "the family as a 

 suborder equivalent in value to all Heterocera." 



The number of described species of butterflies, Dr. Sharp 

 says, "is probably about 13,000"; and he adds — " but the list is 

 at present far from complete, forms of the largest size and most 

 striking appearance being still occasionally discovered. Forty 

 years ago the number known was not more than one-third or 

 one-fourth of what it is at present ; and a crowd of novelties of 

 the less conspicuous kinds is brought to light every year. Hence 

 it is not too much to anticipate that 30,000 or even 40,000 forms 

 may be acquired if entomologists continue to seek them with the 

 enthusiasm and industry that bave been manifested of late. On 

 the other hand, the species of Ehopalocera seem to be peculiarly 

 liable to dimorphic, to seasonal, and to local variation ; so that it 

 is possible that ultimately the number of true species — that is, 

 forms that do not breed together actually or by means of inter- 

 mediates, morphological or chronological — may have to be con- 

 siderably reduced." 



In the matter of classification of the Heterocera, Dr. Sharp's 

 review of the later systems are very lucidly concise. He 

 remarks : — 



" Several attempts have recently been made to form a 



