Grossbeck: John B. Smith as a Lepidopterist 31 



to superficial appearances; and in this work of separation no 

 characters were too trivial to receive attention. The difference 

 in the position of a line, the texture of the wings, the shape of the 

 reniform and orbicular — all were minutely examined and the 

 species sorted accordingly to test their worth. When a prelimi- 

 nary sorting of this kind was accomplished to his satisfaction one 

 or two insects of each supposed species was examined for struc- 

 tures that might serve to bear out his conclusions as reached by 

 a study of the superficial ornamentation. In this connection the 

 male genitalia were of the utmost importance, and occasionally 

 he discovered structures theretofore unobserved which aided his 

 work materially. 



All in all, Professor Smith was an exceedingly close student, 

 and even if future study may show, as many assert, that he erred 

 on the side of hair-splitting differences, it must also be con- 

 ceded that in a search for these minute differences he disclosed 

 many interesting facts as to structure which frequently did ren- 

 der the separation of closely allied species an easy matter. 



