116 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



The Generic Name Syntomis, Ochs., a Synonym. — In vol. i. of liis 

 ' Catalogue of the Lepidoptera Phalsenie,' p. 59, Sir George Hampson 

 cites Syntomu, Ochs. (type phegm) and Amata, Fab. (type j^nssalis) as 

 generic synonyms, giving the date of both as 1808; and he naturally 

 gives preference to the more generally employed name. But, unfor- 

 tunately, Zeller's citation of the date 1808 for vol. vi. of Illiger's 

 ' Magazin,' in which Fabricius's Amata and other genera are pub- 

 lished, is as indefensible as it is inexplicable ; the title-page is dated 

 1807 ; this date is accepted by Zeller's collaborators in Agassiz's 

 'Nomenclator,' and even Zeller himself is not consistent, for he gives 

 1807 in at least one case (Castnia). On investigation, I find definite 

 proof that the names in question were really published in 1807, for 

 they are quite freely cited by an anonymous reviewer of Hubner's 

 ' Sammlung Exotischer Schmetterlinge " in the Allg. Lit. Zeit. for 

 Dec. 19th, 1807 (1807, Band ii., No. 303, pp. 1177-1181). Amata, 

 Fab., is therefore certainly prior to Syntomis, Ochs. — Louis B. Prout ; 

 246, Eichmond Road, N.E., Feb. 17th, 1904. 



Migratory Flight of Crenis boisduvali, Wall. — On Feb. 10th we 

 were surprised by the above flying over the district of Verulam in such 

 numbers that I shall not perhaps be exaggerating when I say millions 

 passed over witbiu an hour. The direction of the flight seemed to me 

 at the time to be from S.W. to N.E. There was nothing unusual at 

 the time as regards the temperature, unless it was a little hotter for 

 the midday ; but old residents of this place tell me they have on other 

 occasions seen a white butterfly (I believe them to be referring to 

 Pieris alba, Wall.) swarm around the flats for hours, the fowls, &c., 

 following them up for food. C. boisduvali, though never so common 

 as P. alba, is commonly found down the South Coast, where it feeds 

 upon a shrub named in Medley-Wood's ' Natal Plants,' Ea-ccecaria 

 reticulata, and known to the Kaffirs as " Hlya-im-punzi " ; but there is 

 no accounting for these flies putting in their periodical appearances in 

 such numbers as mentioned. The larva is not gregarious, and can 

 never be taken in dozens when collecting. Three years ago I made 

 reference in this magazine (Entom. xxxiv. 98) to a butterfly migration 

 when the regiment was stationed in Northern Natal. — H. W. Bell- 

 Marley; Durban, Natal, Feb. 12th, 1904. 



Aberrations of European Butterflies. — In the March number of 

 the 'Entomologist,' Mr. Verity gives an account of several interesting 

 varieties of butterflies from Tuscany, and inquires whether anyone else 

 has met with similar forms. On p. 36 of my ' Butterflies of Switzer- 

 land,' &c., I have noted that Polyo)nmatus alexis ab. arcua is the usual 

 form around St. Triphon, and not uncommon elsewhere at the Vaudois 

 end of the Rhone Valley. This form is identical with var. melanotoxa, 

 Piucitore, as given in Mr. Verity's illustration. I described the form 

 in the Ent. Rec. vol. xiv. p. 58, and inquired whether it was identical 

 with melanotoxa. Not having received any answer to this query, I used 

 the name current in the Rhone Valley, viz. arcua, Favre ; this must 

 evidently fall before Piucitore's name, which dates from 1879, Favre's 

 name not having appeared in print (though previously current in con- 

 versation) until my mention of it in the Ent. Rec. as above. Colonel 

 Agassiz, of Lausanne, has specimens of Coiias edusa of much the same 



