Nomenclature of the Chalcididce and Cynipidce. 11 



Latreille, in theHistoire naturelle &c., Genera Crustaceonim &c., 

 and Considerations generates,* still retained the improper nomen- 

 clature of his countryman Geoflfroy, by forming, in the first of these 

 works, the true Gall Flies (under the generic name of Diplolepis) 

 with the addition of the genera Ibalia, Figites and Eucharis, into his 

 family Diploleparise ; and the parasitic Cynipes of Geoifroy, (Ichneu- 

 mones minuti of Linnseus,) under the same erroneous generic name of 

 Cynips, (but divided into different sections and subsections,) with the 

 addition of the genera Leucospis and Chalcis into his family Cynipsera. 

 The family Proctotrupii was separated from the latter family by this 

 author, and has since been preserved distinct, although some of the 

 genera have been more than once removed from one family to the other. 

 In the two latter works no further improvement was made in the 

 family of the Gall Flies, still miscalled by him Diploleparise, and 

 the only remark worthy of observation in the Genera Crustaceorum, is 

 that placed after the genus of Gall Flies, the synonyms of which are 

 thus placed. '^ioiq lu* 



" Diplolepis i Geoff. Oliv. Cynips, Linn. Scop. De G. Schr. Fabr. Vill. 

 Ross. Bosc. Chr. Cuv. Lam. IlHg. Panz. Jur. Walck. Spinola." !! Surely 

 this host of celebrated names ought to have outweighed Latreille's 

 devoted attachment to the incorrect nomenclature of his countrjnmen; 

 but he adds, in order to prove the correctness of his ideas, this " Nota — 

 ** Nomen genericum" (Diplolepis) " his Insectis" (the Gall FHes) " a 

 " Dom. Geoffroi impositum, et ab amico Olivier retentum, denominationi 

 " Linnseanse antepono ; Cynipedes Dom. Geoffroi nunc a Fabricio 

 ** Diplolepes vocantur ; nominum hoec continua subversio scientiam ocdr- 

 " fZiY."f After stating the alterations which have subsequently been made 

 by this author, we shall be able to ascertain in what degree this " nomi- 

 num subversio continua'* may be laid to his charge. 



For the parasitic family Chalcididae, the name of Cynipsera was still 

 retained in his Genera Crust, and Consid. generates, and the divisions and 

 subdivisions, which he had formed in the Histoire Naturelle, of Geoflfroy*s 



* It is almost neeedless to add that the arrangement and nomenclature of 

 this work have been adopted in nearly every instance by Dr. Leach in the Edin- 

 burgh Encyclopaedia, and by Mr. Samouelle in his Compendium. 



t Genera Crust. &c. Vol. IV. p. 19. 



