8 Mr. MattliL'Ws' Ilr.,,1,1 to Criticisms on 



section like this, of which the whole species have already been 

 comprised by more than one author under the name of " Tri- 

 chopteryx" and by others under the name of " Pt ilium." 



Taking the case before us as an exam[)le, let us suppose that 

 the name T. fn.scij)ennis is restored either to Gillmeister's or to 

 Haldeman's species, and also that the Ptilium fimyqyenne of 

 Forster, and the Ptenldlam fusclpeune of Motschulsky are both 

 eventually discovered to be true species, the name, if not 

 restricted to a single genus, must he repeated in all the three. 

 Subsequently some author averse to sub-divisions re-unites the 

 whole section under one generic term, two recognized names 

 must then be changed for fresh appellations ; but as soon as 

 these new names had been accepted, another author arises, who 

 determines to divide the section into various genera once more, 

 and in consequence must again alter the names last given ; and 

 so on ad infinitum till at length the term " fusclpennis" would 

 convey no possible idea either of form or species. By adhering 

 to the rule I have mentioned, and on which I have acted, all 

 such confusion will be avoided, while by pursuing the contrary 

 plan endless and most harassing complications might be caused. 



In the next place Dr. Dohrn mentions errors which he has 

 observed in my account of the capture of certain species, errors 

 so utterly frivolous that the very notice of them serves to show 

 the difficulty of finding faults. He says " that Dr. Schaum 

 never was in Brazil, therefore the notes on Trich. We/ikerl and 

 discolor are incorrect is certain. The like is the case with the 

 Californian Pt. pidlam, which Dr. Maklin has certainly not 

 caught in loco." At the interview between Dr. Schaum and 

 myself previously alluded to, he pointed out a certain group of 

 specimens, all ticketed with his accustomed care, and said, " you 

 must remember that this lot were taken in Brazil, all the rest 

 were found in the United States ; " and, as he said nothing to 

 the contrary, I supposed that he meant they had been taken by 

 himself. At any rate, if T. Wenkerl and discolor were actually 

 taken in Brazil, the name of their captor must be of secondary 

 importance in geographical relations. Whether Col. Motschul- 

 sky was ever in Ceylon, or Dr. Maklin in California, must be 

 equally unimportant. I can only refer the, reader to my extracts 

 from previous authors, and add that my type of Pten. puUnm 



