THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



163 



Edwards, a variety of Abraxas grossulariata, L., the usual white ground 

 colour being powdered over, giving it a deep grey appearance, the orange 

 markings in the superior wings being very distinct. Mr. Baron also exhibit- 

 ed a variety of A. grossulariata. Mr. South, some interesting forms of 

 Lycccna icarus, Bott., from the Isle of Wight, and called attention to a male 

 with black spots on the hind-wings, which he had only seen before on speci- 

 mens from Sligo, Ireland. Mr. Billups, Xylocopa violacea, L., and X latipes, 

 Drury., also Taiscolia hcemorrhoidalis, Eb., and read notes on his exhibit. 

 Mr. Jenner Weir exhibited specimens of Pieris oleracea, Bois., from Hudson's 

 Bay, and P. napi, L., and contributed some interesting remarks. Mr. 

 Williams mentioned an instance of a species of wasp that had been observed 

 to bring caterpillars into a room, and put them in the opening of a reel of 

 cotton, fixed on a sewing machine, the wasp afterwards closing the aperture. 

 Mr. Billups observed that it was a well-known habit of the wasps to store 

 caterpillars in openings, which they closed up with mortar. Mr. Billups 

 called attention to the fact that in the neighbourhood of Essex Marshes, the 

 cabbages were utterly destroyed by the larvae of Pieris brassicce, which this 

 season was very abundant. — H. W. Barber, Hon. Sec. 



EDITOR'S CHAT. 



NAMES AND AUTHORITIES. 



I am asked an important question with regard to nomenclature, that had 

 better be answered under this head than privately. The question is " Is it 

 correct to write Papilio machaon in reference to our Swallow-tailed butterfly, 

 or Papilio machaon, Linn." ? Unquestionably, it is correct to say or write 

 Papilio machaon, when you are speaking of the butterfly in an ordinary way. 

 Papilio machaon is the name of the species, the contraction " Linn " only 

 refers to the author who gave it the name, and should only be used in a 

 synonymic list, when the nomenclature is under consideration, or in critical 

 dissertations. It so happens that Linnaeus gave and used the name 

 Papilio machaon, but if we take another species it is not so. Say Pieris 

 brassicce, and you are correct ; say Pieris brassicce, Linn., and you are wrong, 

 : for the name Pieris was never given or used by Linnaeus at all, who called 

 all the butterflies Papilio. In a list these species stand — 

 PAPILIO, Linn. 



Machaon, Linn. 

 PIERIS, Shrank. 

 Brassicce, Linn. 



