American National Committee. This is mentioned to show that the scientific 

 world is actively engaged at the present time on this question of nomenclature. 

 At present distinguished authors frequently give different names to a genus and 

 are not at all in accord as to what should be classed as true species and what 

 merely synonyms. No two books agree. The specific name is of the greatest 

 importance and is the very foundation of nomenclature. The work of the butter- 

 fly farmer will be to demonstrate by actual breeding which are true species. Each 

 person who propogates moths and butterflies, however humble that person may 

 be, may assist the scientists in determining the vexed questions regarding species 

 and synonyms. The name of a genus has not the value that it will have when 

 the International Congress gives us a list of standard generic names. 



ENTOMOLOGICAL WORKS. 



I have recommended to beginners W. J. Holland's "The Butterfly Book" 

 and "The Moth Book." They are within the means of every student and repro- 

 duce in colors a vast number of butterflies and moths. The author does not 

 claim that his works are perfect, but they enable the beginner to correctly name 

 a large proportion of the species he encounters. "The Butterflies of the West 

 Coast," by W. G. Wright, price $7, has plates which sometimes give better 

 representations of western diurnals. If money is no object and one desires illus- 

 trations of exotic species as well as American, by all means subscribe for "Seitz's 

 Macrolepidoptera of the World," a work, which when completed, will consist of 

 1 6 volumes, containing about 485 parts, with 1 ,000 well executed colored 

 plates and about 40,000 figures. Even with this great work one cannot, without 

 special scientific knowledge, hope to name specimens with certainty except those of 

 the best defined species. This can only be done by comparing each specimen, not 

 only with the plate, but with its exact description. How foolish it would be for 

 me, a beginner, to recommend such costly works to my correspondents who are 

 beginners. These lessons are nothing if they are not plain, simple instructions for 

 people who wish to master the rudiments of butterfly farming, and to these people 

 there is nothing better in the market than Dr. Holland's books. If you can obtain 

 a copy, by all means procure Dr. Harrison G. Dyar's "List of North American 

 Lepidoptera." It is doubtless the best authority in this country, but it is out of 

 print and hard to obtain. I am indebted to A. N. Caudell, of Washington, 

 D. C, for the only copy I have ever seen. It gives in condensed form a catalogue 

 comprising 6622 species of North American Lepidoptera. 



PRICES OF TRUCKEE LEPIDOPTERA. 



In the April number of The Butterfly Farmer I stated my terms for Truckee 

 lepidoptera. I tried to make my offers very plain and am happy to state that I 

 have received checks for a considerable amount from purchasers who were glad 

 to accept my proposition. I am surprised, however, that some of my best friends 

 have utterly failed to grasp my meaning and persist in sending me orders for cer- 

 tain rare species which they desire, and want them at five cents apiece. I am 

 not selling Lepidoptera at five cents per specimen unless the purchaser takes all 

 the species that I have to offer, rare and common. I am aware that my way of 

 doing business is decidedly novel, and I do not blame any one for thinking that 

 I would be apt to rush upon them all my common species without giving them 

 all the rare ones. I wish to say emphatically that I accept no orders for rare 



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