( li ) 



according to bis own comjjutation. specimens of IIJUU 

 species, of which about 8000 were judged to be novelties. 

 The latter statement w-as questioned at the time ; but Bates 

 adhered to his figures, and there is every reason to believe 

 that his estimate was below, rather than above, the actual 

 number; but no accurate statement on this point can now- ever 

 be arrived at, for to this day there must be numbers of Bates's 

 discoveries, in almost all Orders of insects, stored undescribed 

 in various museums and cabinets throughout Europe. 

 Moreover, in a number of cases, even where the species are 

 described, the origin of the types has not been fully and 

 properly acknowledged. This is seen in reference to one of 

 Bates's favourite groups, the Diurnal Lepidoptera, a large 

 number of which were described and figured by the late 

 W. C. Hewitson, wlio — acknowledging in a general way 

 Bates's contributions to his favourite study — in a very large 

 number of cases contented himself with giving the habitat of 

 a species as simply Amazons, without any authority. Mr. 

 Wilson baunders, who also acquired a number of Bates's 

 specimens, simply ticketed them "Amazons." This serious 

 omission, so far as the Diurnal Lepidoptera are concerned, is 

 to some extent remedied by Bates's own writings on this 

 group ; but he never published his notes on the numerous 

 and important families Lycaenid© and Hesperiidte, so that 

 we must look elsewhere for farther details on these families. 

 His own private collection, which some years ago passed into 

 my possession, furnishes these so far as the Lyctenidae 

 are concerned ; but the series of Hesperiids (the great 

 stumbling-block to all systematists on the group) is far from 

 complete. On the whole, therefore, it would be possible to 

 compile a tolerably complete list of the Diurnal Lepidoptera 

 collected by Bates during his memorable expedition. But I 

 believe I am right in supposing that, with the exception of a 

 few families of Coleoptera, no such list could be made of any 

 of the other Orders of insects in winch he interested himself. 

 This of course is greatly to be regretted ; but Bates's is by 

 no means an isolated case, but rather the rule that has pre- 

 vailed as regards the collections of our greatest travellers. 

 Where, for instance, are the specimens collected by Darwin- 



