Preface. 
The 2nd Volume of the Supplementary Series, which is now ready for publication marks a further 
step in our task. It denotes the collating of all the information in regard to the palaearctie Bombyces and 
Sphinges that has been published since the issue of the Mam Volume 2 about 20 years ago. Our object 
lias been to give an abstract of all knowledge that has become available and to present same m such a 
way that it complements and amplifies the particulars given in the original Volume. 
It will be observed that this Supplement contains and defines almost the same number of names 
as the corresponding Volume of the Main Series, which dealt with all the matter known up to the year 
1912. This circumstance might lead one to think that in the last two decades a great number of new dis- 
coveries have been made. It is quite true that, especially so far as concerns Japan and the Fai East, m j 
new forms have been made known to science and our knowledge of palaearctie N. Africa has been conside¬ 
rably enlarged by the activities of Harold Powell, Oberthur and Lord Rothschild. But the mam increase 
in the denominations over the period under review has been by the giving of names to any slight variation 
from normal type. This obsession of denominating such specimens and claiming the right of priority for 
the author of every new denomination, has become almost intolerable. 
In Volume 2 of the Main Series the editor had indicated in his diagnosis of the Genus Zygaena 
(on p 18) certain definite directions of variation. This was intended to eliminate the naming of each of 
these varieties, especially as same are not limited to any particular species, but apply to the^entire. G • 
It was mentioned there that the red-belted species of Zygaena may occur exceptionally™thout belts. that 
the red forms may be found with yellow colouration, that six-spotted species may develop but a spots and 
the inverse To have recognised these facts would have prevented the almost innumerable denominations 
of "cingntata", etc, or at all events would have set a limit to such a procedure. No success attended 
this attempt at rationalism. The inclusion and description of all these aberrations of the one Genus Zy- 
gaena comprises 73 pages and over 300 illustrations, i. e. one quarter of the entire Volume. 
Some method must be found of preventing the small number of indispensable and scientifically valuable 
names being submerged by this flood of dispensable denominations. The jurisdiction m such a rnattei 
cannot however be effected in a work of reference such as the present one that is limited to space and 
consequent brevity. As stated in the Preface to the 1st Volume of the Mam Series one of the main objects 
of this Work is to enable collectors to find a definition and description of every name that may be ounc 
in literature, in any Museum or private collection, in descriptions of fauna or m any trade offer re at n 
same For such a purpose it is actually quite immaterial, whether the result be a negative one (viz. 
the form in question if a valueless freak of nature) or a positive one (he. that a fust class rarrty »^con¬ 
cerned) The editor was forced, from the commercial aspect., to consider the wishes of hisi subscnbem < 
disregard the strictly scientific standpoint, which would have appealed to only about 5V„of his readers^ 
The other 95% that study entomology as a matter of sport, or as a hobby, frequently take more m .. 
in a denominated aberration of some local indigenous species than in an exotic rarity fiom far ' 
