70 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



SPECIFIC NOMENCLATURE. 



BY H. K. MORRISON, OLD CAMBRIDGE, MASS. 



The publication of Mr. Scudder's Revision has caused much dismay 

 among amateurs, on account of the numerous specific changes and minute 

 generic sub-divisions which it proposes. 



To students of Lepidoptera the novel, and in many cases, original 

 views advanced afford a fertile field for discussion. Mr. Scudder has 

 attempted to study the order by the same methods, and to correct its 

 tangled specific nomenclature by the same principles which govern all 

 other departments of Zoology. 



This work is rendered very difficult from the fact that their beauty and 

 the readiness with which they can be captured and preserved, has made 

 them from the time of Linnaeus a favorite order with collectors. Thus it 

 was that many of the species have been described not by naturalists, but 

 by amateurs • and genera founded on the most casual and unimportant 

 characters. The confusion caused by the publication of superficial and 

 carelessly written works, or of works in which the labors of preceding 

 Entomologists have been neglected, it will take years to undo. Mr. 

 Kirby, in his invaluable catalogue, has combined the results of the labors 

 of European students in this direction, and adopted, although he did not 

 fully carry out, the principles which Mr. Scudder followed strictly in his 

 Revision. 



Unless some definite law is laid down and universally observed, in regard 

 to Entomologicalnomenclature,the Science will always remain in the chaotic 

 condition in which it now is. Time will only increase the confusion ; and 

 now that a good remedy has been proposed, it would be folly to reject it, 

 because of the temporary inconvenience it would occasion. The con- 

 demnation with which Mr. Scudder's book has been received seems to be 

 founded, not on an intelligent rejection of his deductions, but simply on 

 account of the trouble which a partial change of names would cause the 

 present generation of students. 



But is it not better to endure a slight and constantly diminishing evil 

 for the sake of a future and permanent good ? 



There are two laws by which the nomenclature of a science may be 

 governed, that of priority and the so-called law of convenience. The 



