8 THE GENESIS OF THE TERMINOLOGY 



niimber II to the radius, following Heinemann and other of the older 

 writers on the Lepidoptera as regards the names of these veins. 



Before the publication of Spuler's paper the writer had made an 

 extended study of the evolution of the wings of the Lepidoptera. His 

 more important conclusions were presented in a lecture before the California 

 Zoological Club, Jan. 30, 1892, an abstract of which was published in 

 Zoe. vol. Ill, pp. 84-86. This paper includes the suggestion that the 

 Lepidoptera should be divided into two suborders, the Jugatse and the 

 Frenatas. 



Later in the same year the writer, to whom the works of Haase and of 

 Spuler were still unknown, read a paper before the American Association 

 for the Advancement of Science (see Proc. A. A. A. S., 41st Meeting, Aug. 

 1892) entitled "The Descent of the Lepidoptera. An Application of the 

 Theory of Natural Selection to Taxonomy." 



In the following year (1893) the results of the studies briefly outlined 

 in the two preceding communications were published in a paper entitled 

 "Evolution and Taxonomy. An Essay on the Application of the Theory of 

 Natural Selection in the Classification of Animals and Plants, Illustrated 

 by a Study of the Evolution of the Wings of Insects, and by a Contribution 

 to the Classification of the Lepidoptera" (The Wilder Quarter-Century 

 Book.) 



Although no changes in the Redtenbacher system of terminology of the 

 wing-veins of insects was suggested in these communications, they are 

 quoted here because there is no doubt that the later consistent application 

 of the method of study indicated in them hastened the putting of the 

 uniform terminology of the wing-veins on a firm basis. The method is 

 briefly outlined in the following quotation from the abstract published in 

 the Proceedings of the American Association (/. c.) : 



"There is indicated in this paper a method of applying the theory of natural selection 

 to taxonomy somewhat more fully than seems to have been done before. 



"The method consists in beginning with the study of a single organ possessed by 

 the group of organisms to be classified. The variations in form of this organ are 

 observed ; the function of the organ is studied ; and an effort is made to trace out the 

 phylogenetic development of the organ, keeping constantly in mind the relation of 

 the changes in form of the organ to its function. In other words, the record of the 

 action of natural selection upon the group of organisms is read as it is recorded in a 

 single organ. This gives data for a provisional classification of the group. Then 

 another organ is selected and its history worked up in the same way. Then the results 

 obtained in the two investigations are compared; and where they differ there is indi- 

 cated the need of renewed study. For if rightly understood the different records of 

 the action of natural selection will not contradict each other. The investigation is 

 continued by the study of other organs and a correlating of results obtained until a 

 consistent history of the group has been worked out. 



"This method differs from that commonly employed, in being a constant effort 

 to determine the action of natural selection in the modification of the form of organisms, 



