26 



whereas Fitch describes the larva of quercialbella as being "flat," rio known flat 

 larva of this genus makes a tentifoun mine, or au oval cocoon, such as Fitch de- 

 scribes. The larva of Clemens' species is cylindrical, and as Fitch's description is 

 not comparative it is presumable that the word "flat" was not used in the sense in 

 which Clemens and Chambers use it for larva; of this genus, as distinguishing them 

 from the cylindrical form. 



Frey and Boll (Stett. Ent. Zeit., XXXIV, 209) themselves suggest the possibility 

 that their longestriata may be the same as argentifimbriella Clem., and their descrip- 

 tion is so clear that, taking into consideration the similar larval habits, I think there 

 can be no doubt that this is so. 



In the Cincinnati Quarterly Journal of Science (II, 229), Chambers professes an 

 acquaintance with argentifimbriella Clem, and confirms its identity with longestriata F. 

 & B. (although he subsequently treats them as separate species in his index), but he 

 fails to recognize his own fuscocostella, described shortly before that date, as falling 

 under the same description. Chambers does not mention ever having taken or bred 

 argentifimbriella, but there is a single specimen from Kentucky in his collection, now 

 in the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Cambridge, Mass., about which Dr. Hagen 

 writes (Papilio, IV, 151) : u Argentifimbriella Chb., I, Ky. (very bad condition ; perhaps, 

 ? longestriata Frey)." It was probably owing to the condition of his specimen that 

 Chambers failed to see that his description of fuscocostella corresponded with it. I 

 have a specimen of the latter species from Dr. Riley, from Washington, D. C, and a 

 specimen of argentifimbriella compared with Clemens' type in the collection of the 

 American Entomological Society at Philadelphia. They are evidently the same. 



It is somewhat doubtful whether this insect was first publicly named by Clemens 

 or Fitch. Fitch's d scription was publish d in the annual report of the New York 

 State Agricultural Society, issued as Vol. XVIII of the Transactions of that society, , 

 professedly for the year 1858. The title-page is dated "Albany, 18 9." The letter of 

 presentation from Mr. B. P. Johnson to the Hon. D. W. C. Littlejohn, headed "In 

 assembly, April 7, 1859," evidently antedates the real publication, for on page 585 is a 

 letter from his excellency Joseph A. Wright, American minister at Berlin, dated 

 "Berlin, May 11, 1859." In my copy is pasted the following letter: 



" State of New York, Agricultural Rooms, 



" Albany, Mag 19,1860. 

 "Sir: Will your lordship be pleased to accept for your library the eighteenth 

 volume of the Transactions of the New York State Agricultural Society for the year. 

 "I am, most respectfully, your very obedient servant, 



"B. P. Johnson, 

 " Corresponding Secretary. 

 "Lord Walsingham, 



" President, Royal Agricultural Society of England." 



The wording of this letter seems to show that this volume of the Transactions was I 

 not actually distributed until the year 18(50, especially as the first three figures of the 

 date " 18. i0 " are printed (not written) on the paper. Now, the date of Clemens' paper 

 in the Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Science, Philadelphia, is November, 

 1859, and if Vol. XI, in which it ap peared, was issued before the agricultural volume, 

 Clemens' name must take precedence. 



Leaving my American friends who have access to the required information to cor- 

 rect me if I am wrong, I propose in the revised Index to give precedence to argen- 

 tifimbriella Clem, over quercialbella Fitch. 



