292 MR. W. WARREN ON LEPIDOl'TERA [June 5, 



a nest, eggs, and two young ones in down of the Ivory Gnll (Larus 

 eburnea), belonging to the Tromso Museum. These specimens had 

 been obtained in August, 1887, by Capt, J. Harrison, on a small 

 island lying about sixteen miles to the east of Cape Smith, in Spitz- 

 bergen. 



The following papers were read : — 



1. On Lepidoptera collected by Major Yerbury in Western 

 India in 1886 and 1887. By W. Warren/m.A., F.E.S. 



[Received May 8, 1888.] 



The insects which form the subject-matter of this paper were 

 collected by Major Yerbury in the summer of 1886 and the follow- 

 ing spring, through pretty nearly the same range of localities as those 

 previously forwarded by him, and treated of by Mr. A. G. Butler 

 in the 'Proceedings' of this Society for 188G, pp. 355-395. For 

 the account of these localities it will be sufficient to refer to that 

 paper. Both collections are in the possession of the British Museum. 

 The present one contains 544 specimens, distributed among 206 

 species (not reckoning about 12 which from their condition are 

 beyond positive identification or description). Of these about 50, 

 so far as I have been able to ascertain, are either new or undescribeJ, 

 while 3 require to be placed in genera by themselves. Several, as 

 was to be expected, are the same as those of the previous consignment. 



I must not forget to record my indebtedness to Mr. A. G. Butler 

 and Mr. "W. F. Kirby for useful suggestions and kind assistance 

 rendered in various ways. 



By way of preface, in some sort, to the reading of the accompany- 

 ing paper, I wish to draw attention to one or two points in which I 

 have felt myself honestly compelled to differ from authorities of far 

 greater experience, in general, than I can lay claim to, and thereby 

 to acquit myself of any intention to depreciate their labours. 



There would seem to have arisen a tendency to exaggerate slight 

 external modifications, due to varying conditions of place and develop- 

 ment, into specific differences, and that, too, often from the examin- 

 ation of a very limited number of examples. Now as "in the 

 multitude of counsellors there is safety," so, from the consideration 

 of a larger number of examples, from different localities, subject to 

 different conditions, I think we shall arrive at the conclusion that 

 the number of species is not infinite. 



(i.) In the necessity of reducing Leucania bistrigata, Moore, and 

 Leucania penicillata, Moore, to synonyms of Leucania l-album, I 

 am glad to say that Mr. Butler himself coincides, 



(ii.) Amyna stricta, "Walker, 1 regard as of general distribution 

 throughout the tropical zone, and look forward confidently to the 

 time when a larger number of examples of the so-called species, 

 A. undulifera, Butler, A. stellata, Butler, and A. stigmatula, Snellen, 

 will prove tbem to be merely local forms. In this opinion, however, 

 Mr. Butler, naturally enough, does not yet agree. Nor, in making 



