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this name merely because it is old and well known), and the distinguishing name after ; 

 this would give us at a glance the correct relationship of the various parts ; and if their 

 residence in latitude and longitude can be fixed and indicated, so much the better. This 

 is the manner in which my third division wants to be dealt with. "What a charming 

 " constellation " they would make in our catalogues and cabinets ; so distinct and so 

 natural, and expressive of the extent of our knowledge of their kinship and distribution ; 

 laying a solid foundation for future investigation, and offering strong inducements to 

 make yet further conquests in the same direction. 



From what we now know of the earlier stages of many butterflies, it can be seen that 

 species are not to be clearly defined by these any more than by the mature insect. They 

 can be gathered into resembling groups, in the one just as they can in the other, but that 

 will not decide, this way or that, their specific value. 



How genera are to be brought into harmony with nature I really do not at present 

 see, except by abolishing them altogether and dealing with large, loose, family groups. 

 This would have something of the effect of removing high board fences from around small 

 lots, which were intended to prevent trespassing, and compel each one to remain within 

 his own legal limits, and, indeed, not even to see beyond it. Such grouping would give 

 the genius — the man of insight and extensive knowledge — a better opportunity to arrange 

 his material more in accordance with their natural affinities, restore that unity and har- 

 mony which exists in Nature, making it apparent to the casual observer by the removal 

 of the " high board fences " of our present artificial divisions. I have often thought when 

 reading the descriptions of the early stages of many forms that if we were to call our 

 present '' genera " " species," and our present " species " " varieties," we should be much 

 nearer to Nature's divisions than we are now. 



The migratory habits of insects, and the external influences of environment to cnange 

 and modify their appearance, should never be forgotten in any effort to decide their place 

 in systematic arrangement. This is not a thing of recent occurrence, it has been going on 

 ever since insects were first introduced into this scene of life, so that they may have in 

 their constitutions inconceivable possibilities that are only awaiting a favourable opportunity 

 to manifest themselves ; which must ever make structure an uncertain foundation to rest 

 upon. Then man must have been the means of greatly complicating Nature's operations. 

 We know something of what he has done in recent times, and he has been doing similar 

 work during all his history, but observing it not ; so that we can have but little knowledge 

 to-day of the original form and habitat of any species, whether they belong to this con- 

 tinent, that, or the other, or whether similar forms of all the continents may not be but 

 geographical modifications of one species, investigation having little, if at all, taken that 

 turn. 



MISCELLANEOUS NOTES :— Gathered from various Quarters. 



Statistics of Loss from Insects. 



In Insect Life for August, 1889, there is given a carefully prepared table showing 

 the loss to the cotton crop in the State of Texas, in consequence of the ravages of the 

 cotton worm, (Aletia argillacea). The quantity of bales of cotton actually produced 

 during the season of 1887 is given for each county in the State in one column ; in the 

 next the percentage of loss from these insects ; and in a third column the product that 

 there would have been without this loss. The total result shows that there were 1,125,499 

 bales of cotton actually gathered in the State ; the average loss was 21 per cent., though 

 in some counties there was none reported ; and the crop that should have been gathered, 

 if there had been a total exemption from insect damage, was 1,422,948 bales. This 

 makes an aggregate loss for the State of 297,449 bales ; the value of each bale on the 

 spot was a little over $40 on the average. The actual money loss to the planters of 

 Texas from this insect in a single year was, therefore, the enormous sum of $11,897,960. 

 But Texas is only one of many cotton-growing States, and its production is about one- 



