Ces G—— 
in this respect implicitly followed him; not only because where I have un- 
dertaken to verify him I have found him correct, buy also because an 
erroneous certainty (!) is better than uncertainty and a conflict of o- 
pinion: many of the descriptions of authors apply equally well to or em- 
brace three or four species and they couid only have intended ove: im 
such case it is much better that one specie: should be recognized as being 
intended than that doubt should hang over four. 
But implicitly as I have followed Mr. Grote in some respects, I have 
felt myself at liberty to and have verified his generic references, and des- 
criptions and have freely criticised his works. Mr. Grote’s work has been 
mostly of a descriptive kind, and it has been asa rule exceedingly well 
done; but he has thus accustomed himself to search for differences and often 
overlooks resemblances: his theory as gathered from all his works seems 
to tend continually to the idea that color and ornamentation only, are 
specific distinctions, and that structural characters however minute, au- 
thorize genera. “This idea has been pretty generally followed in his re- 
cent new descriptions, and thus, disagreeing with him in this respect, I 
have united many of his genera; only very occasionally I have separated 
genera united by him. Azzv/zs for instance he has lately discarded, throw- 
ing scudpius into Agrotis and capax into Xylina/!/ yet Anytus sculptus 1s 
certainly no Agrots/ The lashed eyes will serve to separate it at once 
from that genus. Mr. Grote’s work now is and long must be the basis of 
our knowledge of the Noctuid fauna of America, and it isa pity that itis 
scattered in so many publications and that no index to it exists. 
Guenee’s generic descriptions are as a rule very superficial, and it is 
very possible that I have sometimes been in error in placing his genera 
as I have-done, but that could scarcely be avoided at present. I expect 
and hope that the synopsis will be criticised and I intend thus to learn 
where I am in error and to enlarge my knowledge of this family: At all 
events this is only intended as a preliminary synopsis to render the study 
of the group more easy and to be completed and corrected at some future 
day. 
In conclusion: I have not given any Bibliographical references what- 
ever, nor have I given generic synonyms or -escept in a few instances 
where I differed from him, genera refered by Mr. Grote as sub-genera or 
sections of other genera because that would have burdened the work 100 
much and would have too greatly exceeded the space allotted tome. I 
intend when giving synoptic tables of the species of the various genera, 
which I shall do as rapidly as I can accumalate material to give the Bibli- 
ography of each genus and species and my intention is in time to forma 
complete Synopsis of the genera and species of N.A. Noctuide. 
