70 
Correspondence . 
S.W. extremity of Ireland (Cape Clear) through the S.E. point 
of the Irish Coast, continued through N. Wales and England. 
This new species differs from smeathmanellus in numerous par- 
ticulars, including the entirely black clypeus in the $, with no 
yellow spot at the apex and the much less rugose dorsal area of 
the propodeum in the 
The true smeathmanellus has, however, since occurred at York, 
2/8/29, a strong colony. W.J.F. (det. R.C.L.P.). 
17. Nomada lineola Panz. (Nat., 1932, 282), 63 S.W. Farnhill, 1910, 
and Howden, 1918, R.B. 
18. Coelioxys mandibularis Nyl. (Nat., 1932, 311). See E.M.M., 1917, 
160. The true mandibularis was not known to Smith. 
19. Psithyrus sylvestris Lep. (Nat., 1932, 329). ‘ A Revision of the 
European Bees allied to Psithyrus quadricolor , Lepeleter,’ by 
O. W. Richards, M.A. (Trans. Ent. Soc., Lond., 1928, 345-364), 
was unfortunately omitted from the Bibliography. In it are 
described several varieties of P . sylvestris taken at Roundhay by 
Mr. A. E. Bradley, albicans Rich., A tricans Rich., atrithorax Rich., 
fuscocitrinus Rich, and bradleyi Rich. The type and variety 
citrinus Schundk are quite common at Roundhay. 
PURPLE SAXIFRAGE IN FLOWER IN FEBRUARY. 
Chris. A. Cheetham. 
This year has not opened with weather such as we enjoyed in the early 
weeks of last year, and many of the early flowers then noted have scarcely 
yet made an appearance, but on a visit to the Yoredale limestone buttresses 
of Penyghent on February 15th a large mass of the Purple Saxifrage 
(S . oppositifolia) was seen in full bloom. This is quite a fortnight 
earlier than the date the first flowers were seen last year, and it is by far 
the earliest I have seen flowers on this plant. 
CORRESPONDENCE. 
Sir. — I thank ‘ C.D.S. ’ for his comments on my note on botanical 
nomenclature. ‘ C.D.S. ' writes : ‘ This question is always cropping 
up and seems to show that the writers do not know their subject, and 
are unfamiliar with the Codes.’ And later : ‘ The question of name is 
one of priority and should follow definite rules laid down in the Codes.’ 
What we ill-informed and very humble workers among the wild 
flowers want, is to be in a position to consult half a dozen text books in 
reference to a plant without finding it called by half a dozen different 
names and expressed in half a dozen different forms. 
The chemists, no doubt, would be able to tell the botanists in authority 
how to bring about this ‘ consummation most devoutly to be wished.’ 
In the twentieth century the chemists no longer talk or write about 
azote and phlogiston. 
I repeat the closing sentence of my note : ‘ Surely some effort might 
be made towards uniformity by the general adoption of a common spelling 
and form in writing, even if it be found impossible to give one plant one 
name.’ But is it impossible to give one plant one name? 
Let us have uniformity, and priority also, if ‘C.D.S. ’ so desires, 
but in the name of all that is sacred, let us have uniformity for all our 
sakes, and thereby avoid further additions to the rapidly increasing 
mass of insanity. — : R. J. Flintoff. 
Sir. — I am making an investigation into the extent to which butterflies 
in the perfect or imaginal state are preyed upon in the British Isles by 
The Naturalist 
