^78 Queries and Ans^wers. 



frequently a trespasser in gardens. I am. Sir, &c. — Dan. Stock. Bungat/, 

 Dec. 2. 1830. 



In the botanic garden. Bury St. Edmund's, ^nagallis ca^rulea, which 

 was introduced there by the Rev. Geo. Reading Leathes, came up annually 

 from seeds dropped the year before ; and as its numerous bright blue flowers, 

 glittering in the sunshine, made it a very ornamental little annual, the 

 plants of it were allowed to be numerous j amongst them all I never per- 

 ceived any variation. — John Denson. jun., lately Curator there. Baysivater^ 

 JV6.19. 1830. 



Art. VII, Queries and Anstvers. 



Erratum. — Page 144. line 12. from the top, for " Vol. 11. p. 123.," read 

 "VoI.III. p. 193." 



Accentuation. — Sir, We have in this vicinity several young persons who 

 are pursuing the study of entomology with a zealous application ; but 

 having unfortunately, like our immortal bard, " but small Latin and less 

 Greek," we are frequently unable to ascertain the derivation, accentu- 

 ation, and application of the nomenclature. This is a truly discouraging 

 circumstance, as it very much impedes those personal communications of 

 discovery and progress, from which arises, as we conceive, an intense 

 gratification to those united in the same study. We have resorted to 

 your Magazine, as a work that would materially assist us in subduing our 

 difficulties; we expected much improvement from it, and we have not 

 been disappointed : but, in general, you do not enter extensively enough 

 upon our favourite pursuit j and you have lately very much shaken our 

 confidence by an alteration of your practice. In fourteen Numbers you 

 uniformly placed the accent on the penultimate syllable of what may be 

 termed the patronymics of the science, but in the fifteenth Number the 

 said syllable is shortened ; thus we have Cynipidae, Chalcididae, &c. Lem- 

 priere, our best reference in this case, generally adopts your latter accent- 

 uation : but Withering teaches his readers that all terms ending in ides 

 have their penultimate syllable long, according to your former pronunci- 

 ation. Now, who is to decide when doctors disagree ? If those whom 

 we deem mastei's in a science falter, what are the inexperienced novices 

 .to do ? We at least think ourselves justified in making a respectful appeal 

 to you, for the reason of the change that you have adopted ; and, as the 

 case before us fully evinces the necessity of some standard of reference 

 even to the learned, we, the unlearned, feel ourselves entitled to make a 

 still bolder appeal. We frankly call upon the veterans in the science for 

 a dictionary of British Entomology, with derivations, accentuations, and 

 reasons of application, &c. Since Mr. Stephens's Catalogue has been before 

 the world, a work of this description has become of easy accomplishment 

 to the scientific : but who is there that can present such an effectual as- 

 sistance to the student so well as our venerable head and tutor the Rev. 

 Mr. Kirby, or Mr. Weston ? To use the words of the former gentleman, 

 " May it therefore, in such good hands, begin, make progress, prosper, and, 

 Deofavente, be happily concluded ! Verbum sapientiJ' I am, &c. — F7^ank 

 Plain. Jan, 28. 1831. 



In the earlier Numbers, names of families in idee were printed with the 

 penult long, under the impression that they were composed of the name 

 of the type and eidos, likej as Cynip-idae ( Cy nips-like ) : but, as these 

 names were subsequently ascertained to have been used as patronymics 

 by the eminent naturalists who invented them, and without any reference 

 to cidosy they have in later Numbers been regulated by the prosodial rules 

 that govern jmtronymics, and of course have the penult long or short 



