54 
lowest subdivision. We need not call the lowest a species, it can be 
sub-species or something still less advanced than that. With a much 
larger number of standard relationships the varying amount of diver¬ 
gence would be proportionately lessened. That we should be much 
nearer being natural by such a scheme, I have already given as my 
view. Primarily classification was very arbitrary with a very small 
amount of the natural element. Now we have made it less arbitrary 
and with more of the natural element. But that we have not yet by 
any means lost the arbitrary part of it is very certain. We shall never 
be able to entirely separate the two. 
Gentlemen, I fear that although I have had the honour of seeing 
my name down on your agenda-list for a paper, I have not satisfactorily 
fulfilled the conditions for a paper. For a long time past I have had 
my attention drawn to the pros and cons of classification. It is a 
question that bears any amount of discussion, and if I shall have 
evoked the thoughts of our members and have induced them to give 
us their views this paper will have fulfilled its purpose. 
A FEW DAYS AT FUSIO. 
(Bead February 20th, 1900, by Dr. T. A. CHAPMAN, F.Z.S., F.E.S.) 
It is many years since I determined that Fusio ought to be explored. 
Baedeker, who is one’s guide, philosopher, and friend in those regions, 
leaves in his index map of Switzerland one central square with Fusio 
in the very middle thereof, of which he gives no detailed map. This 
suggested that it was not much explored, and by the ordinary tourist 
hardly worth exploring, all the more should it be interesting to the 
entomologist. All sorts of reasons led my summer excursions, when I 
had one, anywhere but to Fusio, and so it came about, that before my 
wish to explore it was carried out, those indefatigable investigators, 
the Germans, anticipated me, and had discovered some seven or eight 
years ago a new butterfly in the region. Even with this further 
incentive it was only last summer that I found myself in the desired 
locality. 
One reaches Fusio by passing through the St. Gothard tunnel, and 
if the line could be continued southwards another five miles in the 
direct line of the tunnel, we should reach the valley in which Fusio lies, 
a few miles above that village. As a matter of fact, however, nearly a 
hundred miles have to be travelled to reach it; the railway follows the 
valley of the Ticino eastward, and then southward and westward 
to Locarno, and then the diligence takes one nearly due north again up 
the Yal Maggia. There are several passes from the upper Ticino to 
the upper Val Maggia, which might be taken ; but they would occupy 
as much time as the circuit by rail and diligence, and would not admit 
of baggage accompanying the traveller. Still it is quite feasible to 
