This, a second edition of a List printed on one side only for labelling cabinets, and extending only to the end of the Noctuæ, is intended chiefly for the use of collectors of butterflies and large moths. In a few lines of Preface the author informs us that "the system pursued in his list is that the scientific names should follow Doubleday's arrangement, subject to a corrected spelling where the Greek or Latin root proves it to be necessary, in which case the name as it should be written appears first, followed by the name which years of error have now rendered admissible. The first English name is usually that adopted by Newman, while those which follow are merely local synonyms, useful perhaps for comparison, but not required in all cases."
From this it will be seen that Mr. Browne has set himself the task of revising the nomenclature, and of adding what he terms English "synonyms," but by which he of course means English local names. As regards the first part of the undertaking, we are sorry to say that either a large number of typographical errors have been allowed to pass uncorrected, or there has been a want of care on the part of the author, of which he is evidently not sensible. In a second edition this is the more noticeable. If Sæsia formicæformis be correctly altered to S. formiciformis, why do S. muscæformis and scoliæformis remain unchanged? Smerinthus and Heliophobus are no doubt correctly latinized in their terminations; but why are Brephos, Ennomos, Thanatos, &c., uncorrected? Dipthera surely should be Diphthera, and Symyra, Simyra.
We could point out other similar errors, which, although apparently trifling, become of some importance when the author, so to say, prides himself upon his skill in revision.
As regards the second part of Mr. Browne's self-imposed task, we have no duubt that many collectors whose hobby must often take them far afield will be glad to have the local names, especially of the rarer insects, with which this List supplies them.
