iSgi] THE BRITISH NATURALIST. 151 



gentleman's name as the authority for them. But Mr. Tutt, m the 

 above note, assumes more than has been expressed by Dr. Chapman, 

 who still calls the genus Acronycta. As 5?//^-generic terms are not 

 used, we do not follow our friend when he says he will "continue 

 to use them." 



There is nothing we deplore so much in Entomology as the 

 constant and purposeless alterations in nomenclature, and in the 

 present confused state of the names of Lepidoptera, it would be 

 dreadfully embarrassing for an Editor to give up control over those 

 used in the pages of his magazine, whilst a foot-note appended to 

 every paragraph containing alterations would be a reflection on the 

 intelligence of his contributor. The case given above is a strong 

 illustration of the necessity of what we have so often urged in the 

 "Young Naturalist " and elsewhere, viz.: that there should be a 

 recognized authority for nomenclature, and that no new name, or 

 alteration of an old one, should be accepted without the sanction of 

 such authority. As matters stand at present, instead of names being 

 made subvervient to science, science is made subvervient to nomen- 

 clature, and so it will be while purposeless changes are insisted 

 on by those who ought to know better. — Ed. " B. N." 



Notes. 



D. CAPSOPHiLA, &c. — D. capsophila has been out some days, and I 

 have taken several. If the weather would change I would be able to 

 get Barrettii. L. ageria is common here. — E. R. Curzon, Dublin, 

 4th June, 1891. 



American and English Lepidoptera. — What lovely little things 

 your Zygenidce are. Filipendulcs is exquisite, so is Geryon. Your 

 Leucanias resemble our Californian forms in their richer colours, except 

 Inipura, which is almost a fac-simile of our Pallens. Our Agrotis C. 

 nigniiii is very like your Noctna C. nigrum^ but the colours are quite 

 different when compared, and yours is a much smaller and slighter 

 insect. Your TviphcBiia are hne insects, of which we have but one 

 representative, Chaudingi, about tlie size of your intcrjccta . — Emily 

 L. Morton, New York. 



