366 



NOMENCLATURE AND ILLUSTRATIONS. 



" Pas de bonne figure - a l'appui d'une description, pas de nom 

 valable." This is the well know dictum of Monsieur Charles Oberthur. 

 Italics ours. 



Monsieur Oberthur has lately given to his readers in " Etudes de 

 Lepidopterologie Comparee, fasc. xix, 2e Partie," a brief account of 

 our new venture. He further includes a statement made by Mr. 

 Henry J. Turner in his review of the "Bulletin" in the "Entomo- 

 logist's Record," November, 1921. Mr. Turner says that we have 

 " adopted the dictum laid down sometime ago by Monsieur Oberthur, 

 that all descriptions should be supported by figures." 



Unfortunately Monsieur Oberthur has been led, by these words of 

 Mr. Turner's, to infer that we are supporters of his principle, and 

 further sees our support in the manner in which we have issued the 

 "Bulletin." To avoid any further misunderstanding we now give our 

 own view of the matter, which we did not do in the " Bulletin." 



Mr. Turner is so far correct in assuming that we have adopted the 

 view, that all descriptions should be supported by figures, but this 

 is not Monsieur Oberthur's rule. There must be added the very 

 important part which we have italicised at the beginning of this note 

 and with this we never were in agreement with our illustrious and 

 respected colleague. 



That a name should become a synonym because no figure is given 

 of the form described is a question which does not concern Lepidop- 

 terists alone. It concerns zoologists and botanists and all those who 

 do any systematic work in Natural History. The rule cannot be limited 

 in its application, because all living things are capable of being drawn 

 and figured in some way. It is easier for the specialist to write a clear 

 and adequate description than to produce a good figure, because the 

 cost of reproduction greatly exceeds all other costs. Most specialists 

 are people of small means, and until there exists some institution with 

 funds at its disposal, by which all described forms may be figured, it is 

 too much to expect everybody to carry out such a rule. There would 

 be a deplorable dearth of published research, and our knowledge would 

 advance with painful slowness. 



It is undoubtedly true that whenever possible a figure should be 

 given, and the more true to life the better. If any structural details 



