[Berliner Entomolog. Zeitschrift Bd. XL, Jahrg. 1895, Heft III.] 345 



Midas or Mydas? 



A contribution to Entomological Nomenclature, 



by C. R. Osten Sacken. 



The miich-debated question of the spelling of the generic name 

 Mydas or Midas (Diptera) aftords an instance of one of the nu- 

 merous difficulties connected with entomological nomenclature. The 

 wisest course to pursue in such cases is perhaps that reconimended 

 by my late friend Dr. Leconte: „resist change". In doubtful cases 

 propose a change, but do not attempt to introduce it at once, before 

 a thorough verification becomes possible. Such a verification on the 

 spot is seldom possible, for want of time, of literature, of experience 

 in criticism, and for other reasons. I have some right to speak in 

 this strain as, in more than one instance, I have been the victim 

 of error, in spite of my good will and diligence. The subject of this 

 article is a case in point, and I feel bound to explain the reason of 

 my apparent inconsistencies in its treatment. 



In my paper „A List of the Leptidae, Mydaidae and Dasy- 

 pogonina of North America" (Bull. Buffalo Soc. of Nat. Hist. Oct. 

 1874), I adopted the original spelling of Fabricius (Mydas and 

 MydaidaeJ, following the example of Dr. Gerstaecker in bis 

 monographic paper (Stett. Ent. Zeit. 1868, p. 65 — 103). In my later 

 imblications, for instance, in my Catalogue of N. A. Diptera (1878), 

 I returned to Wiedemanns orthography Midas, becausc I had 

 discovered in the nieantime that Dr. Gerstaecker's premises were 

 not well founded.') I translate bis argument in extenso: 



„Fabricius has not explained the derivation or signification of 

 the name Mydas, either in the Ent. Syst. IV, p. 252, where tho 

 gcnus was founded, or in the Syst. Antl, p. 60; the name is not 

 found in Greek literature, and merely resembles alliteratively the 



I 



1) 1 did not allege any reason for the change atthat time (1878), 

 except tliat, on p. 235, noie 138, l said : „About Mydas and Midas 

 See in Gerstaecker, I.e. With Wiedemann and others, 1 prefer 

 Midas." 



