igoo] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 397 



from collectors of Lepidoptera of their ideas or preferences so 

 that suggestions may be received which will, point out the de- 

 fects of the old list and make possible a new or revised list 

 which will meet the requirements of the majority. 



On this supposition I venture to submit my own ideas on 

 this subject. 



I believe that it is a good plan to have a number for each 

 species, and that if these numbers could be made permanent 

 their effectiveness would be greatly increased. The general 

 tendency is to use numbers on our exchange lists, and it is a 

 great convenience, saving both time and labor. Numbers are 

 even more useful for material in envelopes and boxes. .For 

 instance, suppose, after a hard day's collecting one has a lot of 

 material to put up in papers, maybe 30 or 40 of one kind, 20 

 of another and so on, it is much easier to put on the numbers 

 than to write the names in full. 



And in order that each number may be permanent I would 

 suggest that .several vacancies be left in each genus, so that 

 when a new species is named and numbered it may be inserted 

 in the list. There is no need to economize as to numbers, as 

 there is an inexhaustable supply from which to draw. 



I would have each family commence on the even hundred, as 

 as, for instance, Lycaenidae at 300, the Papilionidae at 500, 

 etc. , and each sub-order on the even thousand as Heterocera at 

 1000, Noctuina at 2000, etc. A number would then have 

 more value than at present, as it would indicate at once the 

 sub-order and family. 



What a convenience it would be to tho.se who keep records 

 and notes on cards to have the cards arranged numerically, and 

 how much confusion it would save where one insect has several 

 names, as Limenitis ursula, which we hardly recognize as Basi- 

 larchia astyanax or Nymphalis episieofi. 



When the next list is published I would suggest that at a 

 small additional expense a portion of the edition be printed on 

 one side only of each page .so that it might be cut up to serve 

 the purpo.se of cabinet labels. 



A .simple but effective way of checking off one's collection 

 is to place a small o in front of the name on the list where but 



