584 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. II. No. 44. 



mens of S. longipes ( now S. occidentalis, 

 Bebb ) in herb. N"at. Museum ; one, an 

 original type specimen by Eugel at Mo. 

 Bot. Gard.; one from Apalacliicola bay, Fla. 

 (by Mohr), I venture to predict that after 

 full investigation, the Wardi and longipes 

 will have to go under the same name. In 

 presence of the very high authoritj^ of ray 

 friend Bebb, I feel fully conscious of the 

 temerity of such assumption ; but, if the 

 boldness of an amateur may stimulate him 

 and others to further efforts to solve the en- 

 tanglement, a good point, at the least, shall 

 have been made in the interest of science. 



On previous page is a synoptical con- 

 spectus of S. nigra, Wardi, and amygda- 

 loides, showing bj^ comparison their re- 

 semblances and differences. 



N. M. Glatfeltee. 



St. Louis, Mo., Oct. 7, 1895. 



SCIENTIFIC NOTES AND NEWS. 

 ED wards' BXJTTEEFLIES OF NORTH AMERICA. 



In the 16th part of his Butterflies of 

 ISTorth America, which appeared early in 

 October, Mr. W. H. Edwards has given us 

 one of the most important and interesting 

 of this third series. The three species 

 selected for representation are Paniassius 

 smintheus, Satyrus charon and Chionobas gigas. 

 Every stage of each is represented by the 

 usual wealth and beauty of illustration, 

 which, were we not now accustomed to it, 

 would strike us with amazement, excepting 

 the last species, of which the chrysalis and 

 the last half of the larval life are yet un- 

 known. As to Parnassius, no such illustra- 

 tion of a species of the genus has ever been 

 ■ attempted. This Part is particularly valu- 

 able, since Mr. Edwards has enriched his 

 text with abundant observations and field 

 notes from his correspondents, so that Par- 

 nassius extends to 16 quarto pages and 

 Chionobas to 11. There is much interest- 

 ing new matter regarding the formation of 

 the abdominal pouch of the female Par- 



nassius and figures are for the first time 

 given of Scudder's peraplast, the supposed 

 male implement in its formation. The 

 Chionobas portion contains remarkably full 

 comparisons of the habits and distribution 

 of three species of the genus : gigas, cali- 

 fornica and iduna, largely from Mr. W. G. 

 Wright's notes, in justification of their be- 

 lief in the distinctness of these three forms, 

 denied by Elwes. 



Another part will presumablj' conclude 

 the series, but we must express the hope 

 that the indefatigable author will be en- 

 couraged by extended subscriptions to begin 

 another series forthwith. Material is not 

 lacking. 



THE DAVENPORT ACADEMY OF NATURAL 

 SCIENCES. 



The Academy shows signs of increasing 

 activity. It printed, this spring, A Sum- 

 mary of the Archaeology of loiva, by Professor 

 Frederick Starr, of the University of Chi- 

 cago. This pamphlet, of 72 octavo pages, 

 contains a condensed statement of the sub- 

 stance of more than two hundred scattered 

 articles and papers. It forms a foundation 

 for further study. The Academy now plans 

 a thorough and systematic exploration of 

 the archteology of the State and solicits 

 help from all Iowa workers. A circular 

 stating the plan of the work and giving 

 specific directions to collaborators has been 

 printed and is being distributed. The 

 Academy deserves hearty sympathy in this 

 matter. The present condition and future 

 prospects of the Society are most encour- 

 aging. With no debt, it owns a good fire- 

 proof building, possesses important collec- 

 tions in natural history and an astonish- 

 ingly valuable material from the mounds, 

 and has a librarj' numbering 40,000 books 

 and pamphlets. Its ' Proceedings,'' now in 

 the sixth volume, are known through the 

 world of science. The continuance of pub- 

 lication is now happily assured by a legacy 



