16 



THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



ideas are, as is well known, in the opposite direction ; and I should 

 be glad if he would state his views on the subject, as to what degrees of 

 variation, in his opinion, are worthy of the dignity of distinct names, 

 and which are not. In my humble opinion the geographical varieties 

 of P. a polio, which I have described, are of more importance in their 

 relation to the type than the forms of many other species of European 

 Rhopalocera I could name which have already received distinctive 

 recognition. Until I can be convinced to the contrary I shall continue 

 to pursue the orthodox course. — W. Harcourt-Bath, Birmingham, Dec. 

 8th, 1896. 



The Synonymy of Polygonia c-album var. hutchinsoni. — As a 

 great deal of controversy has been going on regarding the var. hutchin- 

 soni of P. c-album, it may be useful to see the synonymy. Eobson 

 (' Young Naturalist,' ii. p. 110) gives the name hutchinsoni to the pale 

 form occurring in the summer brood. Harcourt-Bath ('Entomologist,' 

 xxix., 1866, p. 257) proposes the name luicscens for the same form, and 

 states that it is the typical form of the continental first brood, but 

 only occurs as an occasional aberration in this country. Tutt (' British 

 Butterflies,' p. 344, 1896) says that there are two distinct forms in the 



ground colour, one decidedly with more orange in the red The 



paler form appears to be common in the summer brood (June and 

 July), although it occurs in the autumnal one. This he calls ab. 

 pallida. The synonymy would therefore read — 



Polygonia, Hb. 

 c-album, Linn. 



var. hutchinsonii, Robson, Young Nat., ii. p. 110. 

 = lutescens, H. Bath., Entom., 1896, xxix. p. 257. 

 = pallida, ab., Tutt, Brit. Butt., 1896, p. 344. 

 I hope in a succeeding paper to correct other synonyms, which recent 

 authors have disregarded, owing to the fact that they have not made 

 themselves thoroughly acquainted with all the previously described 

 varieties and aberrations. — John W. Shipp. 



[As the priority of the name hutchinsoni for the form in question 

 has been clearly established, there does not appear to be any necessity 

 to further discuss the matter. — Ed.] 



GoNEPTERYX RHAMNi IN Ireland. — The reported successful introduc- 

 tion of Gonepteryx rhamni into some locality in the Co. Tipperary by 

 Mr. Purefoy is extremely interestiug (Entom. xxix. 363). Colonel 

 Cooper, of Markree Castle, Co. Sligo, contemplated, some years ago, a 

 similar experiment, and was planting buckthorn for that purpose, but 

 I am not aware whether he has carried out his intention. It seems, 

 however, passing strange that Mr. Purefoy should have proceeded so 

 recklessly as not to ascertain whether either the food-plant or the 

 insect was indigenous, as he might know the serious injury that might 

 be done to science by tampering with the distributional conditions of 

 our fauna recklessly. His publication of the fact, however, will 

 prevent Tipperary being accidentally included as one of the natural 

 habitats of G. rhamni. It is to be hoped that he will further complete 

 his notification by distinctly indicating the locality of this colonisation. 

 It is astonishing to hear that he has not been able to learn whether 



