THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 33 



expressed idea, but rather on the universal practice of mankind, which 

 always upholds stability of nomenclature, and requires cogent reasons of 

 beauty or convenience to sanction its alteration. ****** 



"The proper Rule to adopt (instead of Rule i of Brit. Ass'n.) would 

 have been unchangeability of names in use, rather than priority of date, 

 which latter rule ought only to have been brought in to decide en the 

 claims of two or more 'names in use, not to retain obsolete names never 

 in use, or long ago rejected. — Ibid. 



"What we want for the sake of knowledge is stability and uniformity 

 of nomenclature, not an upsetting of it by the substitution of old, forgotten 

 and very doubtful names, published in works without, or with very little 

 scientific merit."— Dr. Schaum, on Nomenclature of British Carabidee, Ent. 

 Ann., i860. 



" The rule of priority in Nomenclature, I hold to be a good rule within 

 its proper limits ; it is not an unmixed good ; and priority, like every 

 other hobby-horse, may be ridden too hard. When the rule is strained 

 beyond the reason for the rule, it becomes a nuisance, — nay more, it pro- 

 duces intolerable evil; but when reasonably applied, 'it produces more 

 convenience than inconvenience. I accept it, therefore, as a rule for con- 

 venience, and nothing more, a rule adopted for the benefit of science, not 

 for the glorification of name givers." — J. IV. Dunning, Ent. Mo. Mag., 

 vol. 8, 215. 



'• In systematic nomenclature the object is to register titles, not to 

 gratify pride, and the names of authors are appended for convenience, not 

 fame ; the question of justice or injustice has no place here." — Scudder, 

 Am. Jo. Arts and Sci., i8j2. 



" Both sides agree that the accord of Entomologists is the ultimate 

 desideratum. I hold that the law of priority is not that the oldest name 

 of an insect is invariably the right one, but that in cases of dispute, the 

 prior name is to be preferred, and in such cases only ; and that any at- 

 tempt to subvert accord cannot be done under the law of priority, but we 

 must make a new law — the law of antiquity say. * * * * In such 

 event, every insect capable of identification must henceforth carry the 

 name under which it was first called — no matter by whom — no matter 

 the language. The American fire-fly must bear its Indian appellation — 

 the ' Palmer-worm ' and the 'Canker-worm' must have their ' prior ' names 

 restored ; we must carry the law back without limit — even to chaos itself." 

 — T. H. Briggs, Ent. Mo. Mag. vol. 8, p. pj. 



