8 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [January, 



I have also had similar experience with other specimens which 

 I have thought worthy of at least a varietal name, but in every 

 instance I have been advised not to describe my specimens, or 

 name them. Meanwhile I have read of new varieties, and even 

 aberrations described by some of my advisors, and I found it 

 very hard to comprehend the differing positions taken in these 

 instances. 



In undertaking to write upon the subject, I have adopted a 

 method which has produced good results in another field, my 

 own profession, dentistry. I sent out a query as to the meaning 

 of the terms Variety, Form and Aberration, and the circum- 

 stances under which they should receive special names. I will 

 read the replies. Rev. George D. Hulst says: 



A variation is the differing of an individual or a few individuals 

 (in a degree not very strongly marked), from the normal or 

 typical form. 



An aberration is a variation where the differing is very decided, 

 and intergrades are wanting, otherwise known as "sports." 



A variety is a comparatively broad term as it is ordinarily used 

 — covering race, form, subspecies, and indeed all distinctions 

 below species. 



Under this a form is one or more of the variations an insect 

 may take in view of seasonal influences, for example Grapta 

 fabricii is a form of G. interrogationis ; or a sexual difference as 

 Papilio tur^ius from P. glauais. 



A race is one or more of the variations an insect takes in the 

 same brood, or in all broods in view of climatic conditions, as for 

 example, Triptogon occidentalis I consider a race of T. modesta. 



There remain the variations which occur in the same insect 

 under the same conditions and the name variety more especially 

 belongs, as for example Papilio walshii is a variety of P. ajax. 



A species is a distinct variation, permanent, supposed to breed 

 true to itself, — without known intergrades with other species. 



A subspecies is very nearly like what I call race above, and is 

 where intergrades are known, but are infrequent. Perhaps most 

 would call Triptogon occidentalis a sub-species of T. modesta. 



A sub-variety would be nearly equal to the word form, as ex- 

 plained above. Of course it must always be recognized no line 

 can be sharply drawn; there is no break in Nature. The breaks 



