6944 Insects. 



" I only saw one individual of this species, at St. Paulo, near the frontier of Peru. 

 Like all the other species of Siderone and Paphia, it has the rapid flight of the typical 

 Nymphales, and, like them, not easily scared when reposing, pertinaciously returning 

 to the sanoe spot after being driven away. Its near relative, Siderone Tde, so commou 

 in the West Indian Islands and Guiana, also occurs in the country, but is very 

 rare." 



The Secretary read the first part of a paper by Mr. H. W. Bates, intituled " Con- 

 tributions to an Insect Fauna of the Amazon Valley." — E. S. 



Food-plant of Eupithecia pallidaria. — I posess specimens of this insect bred from 

 larvae found in Kent, by Mr. Gorham, on Solidago Viigaurea. I think this is the 

 first instance of its having been bred, though I believe that the Rev. Mr. Crewe has 

 it now in pupa.— jR. M'Lachlan ; Forest Hill, March 6, 1860. 



LarvcB of EupilhecicE desired. — If any of the readers of the 'Zoologist' can send 

 me, during the ensuing season, larvae of Eupithecia rectangulata, or eggs of the fol- 

 lowing species — E. pulchellata, E. pumilata, E. pernotata, E. pygmaeata, E. plum- 

 beolata, E. pusillata, E. consignata, E. constrictata, E. helveticata, E. viminata, E. 

 subciliata, E. irriguata, E. togata, E. indigata, E. debiliata, E, egenata, E. succentu- 

 riata (not subfulvata), or Collix sparsata — I shall feel deeply indebted to them, and 

 will endeavour to make them any return in my power. — H. Harpur Crewe ; Wickham 

 Market, Suffolk, March 6, 1860. 



Entomological Terms. — In compliance with the wish of my friend the Rev. Mr. 

 Pickard-Cambridge, I offer a few brief observations on the subject of the entomologi- 

 cal terms alluded to by him (Zool. 6893) ; I fear, however, that I do not possess suf- 

 ficiently clear powers of definition to throw much light on the subject, and that I have 

 so often myself, when using them, been guilty of laxity and want of uniformity that 

 my authority is worth nothing. I should wish to see a far more accurate and 

 methodical pen than my own engaged in the task, for instance that of my friend 

 Mr. A. G. More. With regard to the terms " very common," "common," " frequent," 

 " not rare," " occasional," " rare," " very rare," it would be alike presumptuous and 

 superfluous in me to add a single word to Mr. Pickard-Cambridge's definition, which 

 are as perfect as they are complete. I therefore proceed to some of the other terms 

 subsequently alluded to by him, giving my own private interpretation thereof. As 

 this is very likely quite erroneous, I hope none of your readers will be sparing in their 

 criticisms. I begin, then, as follows : — Tribe, the grand primary division compre- 

 hending all the others, and giving a general idea of the thing designated ; example, 

 insect. Order, a collection of numerous widely-differing groups, but yet possessing 

 certain peculiar characteristics common to all ; example, Lepidoptera. Class or 

 group, a collection of families possessing very similar characteristics ; example, Bom- 

 bycina. Family, a collection of various closely-allied genera ; example, Notodonlidae. 

 Genus, a collection of very closely-allied species ; example, Notodonta. Sub-genus, 

 one possessing the main characteristics of the genus, but yet, in the opinion of some 

 authorities, sufficiently distinguishing peculiarities to warrant its being separated from 

 it ; example, Drymonia. Species, each of the one or more distinct individuals which 

 make up the genus or sub-genus ; examples, droraedarius, dodonea. Variety, a 



