SCIENTIFIC NOTES. 241 



T. caltricoUe, Sauss., but it differs so distinctly in the form of the 

 prosternal spine, with which it agrees entirely with T. semiricolle, that 

 it is to the latter species that I refer it. De Saiissure gives the length 

 of body of the female as 58mm., and of the pronotmn as 25mm., but 

 in the specimen before me, the body is only 46mm., and the pronotum 

 14mm., which are about the dimensions of T. securicolle. It may 

 possibly be a new species, falling between these two, but I do not 

 v\'ish to base a novelty upon a single female. T. securicolle has been 

 recorded from Syria, and T. cuItricoUe from Turkestan, Aschabad. 

 LocusTODEA. — Locnstidae. I.ocusta caudata, Charp. — One ? ; common 

 in south-eastern Europe and south-western Asia. Geyllodea. — 

 iTn/Uus descrtiis, Ptill. — One ^ , one ? ; recorded from Asia Minor 

 and Turkestan. Common in south-eastern Europe. GrjjUHsfrontcdlis, 

 Fieb. — One ? . Common in south-eastern Europe, and also recorded 

 from Syria and Turkestan. Gn/Iltts doiuesticns, L. — Two ? s. — 

 M. BuEE, F.Z.S., F.E.S. 



.,^'GIENTIFIC NOTES. 



The multiplication of identical specific names within the same 

 FAMILY. — I should like to say a word as to the multiplication of 

 identical specific names within the same family. The rule no doubt 

 stands that the same specific name must not occur twice in the same 

 genus, but this rule originates in reference not to our present genera, 

 but to Linnean genera_, that is, we may say to superfamilies, when 

 applied to the lepidoptera. Amongst the Lithosians mentioned by Sir 

 George Hampson in the second volume of his Catalof/iie, there are more 

 than 30 instances of names being repeated in the first half of the 

 alphabet; often the same name is repeated several times as, hicolor (3), 

 ccierulescens {4l) , fasciata (6), r/risea (4), &c. The author is as frequently 

 responsible for these repetitions as any one else. No doubt he 

 does this in good and numerous company. I nevertheless consider 

 that it is wrong, and that some of the care insisted on not to repeat 

 generic names should be applied to specific names within wider limits 

 than are now recognised. It seems to be utterly forgotten that the 

 species is in some degree a natural entity, whilst the genus is much 

 more a matter of opinion and convenience, not to say caprice. It is a 

 label of classification, whilst the specific name distinguishes an actual 

 separate thing. — T. A. Chapman, M.D., F.Z.S., F.E.S., Betula, 

 Eeigate. 



The types of the geneea Goetyna and Ocheia. — I have just 

 discovered, too late for use in the " London Fauna List " of the City 

 of London Entomological Society, that Professor Grote, in fixing 

 viicacca as the type of Gortyna {Ent. Record, vi., p. 29) has 

 overlooked one authority, whose action fortunately enables us to 

 retain the familiar use of this name and of Hydroecia, Gn. Samouelle 

 [Entuiv. Compend., p. 252 [1819]) indicates //a ('rt//o {dchracca, Hb.) 

 and nitila/io (umbra, Hfn.) as types of Gortijna, while Hiibner's 

 restriction to inicacea can hardly date back further than 1822 (the 

 portion of the " Zutriige " published in 1822, is cited freely in this 

 portion of the " Yerzeichniss "). Therefore Samouelle's action has 

 priority, and the further restriction of later authors to uchravea is perfectly 

 legitimate. As regards the name Ochria, used by Professor Grote for 



