Dominican Republic

Tue Dec 18 16:17:45 EST 2007

I agree (as I said privately to Alex) with Doug re the Miller et al
book...I would definitely spend the money (it is NOT cheap, $150 new) on
the book...

Alex 

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-leps-l at lists.yale.edu [mailto:owner-leps-l at lists.yale.edu]
On Behalf Of mexicodoug
Sent: Tuesday, December 18, 2007 3:43 PM
To: Alex Bic
Cc: Leps-l
Subject: Re: Dominican Republic

Mike wrote:

"D.S.Smith, LD Miller and JY Miller 1994, Butterflies of the West Indies
and South Florida also covers the West Indies, but is not a field guide.
It is a great book, although for some reason it completely avoids
English or "common" names."

Hello Mike, Lepsters,

This is not only a GREAT book, it is the GREATEST book on the region by
such established professional Lepidopterists, which is a landmark!  I
completely recommend it!!!  Copies may be available from the Florida
Museum of Natural History (352) 273-2060, or 273-2041, or email
scrandall at  flmnh  dot ufl dot  edu as

IMO, Anything published afterwards will benefit by this first rate
publication's landmark publication for the region, and draw upon it.  NO
qualifications (whether serious, provocative or silly) are needed in
this department (well maybe if you plan to use it as a field guide, got
to put it in a backpack)...  Anyone can get a list of common names
anywhere ... they are a dime a dozen ---actually theyre free.

As a matter of fact if you transport yourself back to the time of its
publication, you can find that another book was edited by one of the
authors called something like "A Compendium of Common Names Lepidoptera
of North America" and I thought it was published by the LepSoc which
treated the subject of common names in a dignified and supportive manner
rather than using the book to favor "fun" names, it surveyed what what
actually in use and the sources.  That was State-of-the-Art and a great
reference, so if you need a reason Mike, I'd say that was it!

Now, in the case of the Dominican Republic, where the language is
Spanish, common "English" names for butterflies for visitors is somewhat
confusing to the locals w/Spanish common names that in some few but very
interesting cases could be used there.  If you want US common names for
non-endemic butterflies, you can write them in the Smith book edited by
the Millers' 
book over the descriptions if that is helpful, or even the adequate
illustrations by Richard Lewington.  Problem easily solved by defacing
the book.  The info and the illustrations it contains are not so easy to
add!

Also, "Butterflies of Hispaniola" which has no pictures for use in field
ID (sorry if it has been mentioned, I didn't see it) is an option:
ISBN 0813009022
The Butterflies of Hispaniola. Schwartz, Albert. 1989. University of
Florida Press, Gainesville, 580 p.
http://www.alibris.com/search/books/isbn/0813009022

Best Butterflying,
Doug

----- Original Message -----
From: Michael Gochfeld
To: hbrodkin at cox.net ; Alex Bic
Cc: Leps-l
Sent: Tuesday, December 18, 2007 10:33 AM
Subject: RE: Dominican Republic

Riley's FIELD GUIDE A field guide to the butterflies of the West Indies,
224 
p., Collins, Londonis dated 1975, but although there have been a lot of 
changes since then, it is still the most convenient field guide,
including a 
checklist of species by island.

D.S.Smith, LD Miller and JY Miller 1994, Butterflies of the West Indies
and 
South Florida also covers the West Indies, but is not a field guide.  It
is 
a great book, although for some reason it completely avoids English or 
"common" names.

Mike Gochfeld

From: owner-leps-l at lists.yale.edu [mailto:owner-leps-l at lists.yale.edu]
On 
Behalf Of Hank Brodkin
Sent: Tuesday, December 18, 2007 9:49 AM
To: 'Alex Bic'
Cc: Leps-l
Subject: RE: Dominican Republic

Alex:
Though I was a Lorquin member - I have not been to Los Angles in about
10 
years.  I know relatively little about the butterflies of the Caribbean
- 
though I do think there are a couple of books out.  I know of no one who
has 
collected there.
I am CC'ing your request to the Leps-l mail list - perhaps someone there
can 
help you!
To those on Leps-l - please reply directly to Alex at the address below.

Hank Brodkin
Carr Canyon, Cochise County, AZ
hbrodkin at cox.net
"Butterflies of Arizona - a Photographic Guide"
"Finding Butterflies in Arizona - a Guide to the Best Sites"
http://members.cox.net/hbrodkin/

From: Alex Bic [mailto:bicaliber at gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, December 17, 2007 1:36 PM
To: Hank Brodkin
Subject: Dominican Republic

Who knows if you still remember me, but we talked a while back about
Mexico. 
Btw, were you at the Lorquin meeting the other day? I'm the 17 year-old
kid 
that brought in the droor of Parides.
Anyway, I will be taking a short trip to the Dominican Republic in a few

days and I would really appreciate any advice on collecting locations or

people that you may know who have been there. Maybe you have some
specimens 
from there that have data? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your time,
Alex 

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