64 THE ENTOMOLOGIST S RECORD. 



some trifling exceptions, every dissyllable has its accent on the penul- 

 timate, independently of the quantity of either syllable ; every word of 

 three or more syllables, has the accent on the penultimate if the vowel of 

 that syllable be long, on the antepenultimate if the vowel of the 

 penultimate Ije short. 



The other point is quantity ; in other words, whether the vowel 

 which gives the sound to a syllal)le is long or short. Quantity and accent 

 arve the two component parts of Proaody, but, as this is about the most 

 abstruse part of grammar, 1 shall not weary you with a dissertation 

 upon it, and it would be manifestly superfluous to suggest a close study 

 of the subject. liet us look at it in a practical manner. The two 

 (juestions which require solution seem to l)c : — 1. How can an entomo- 

 logist be apprised of the fact, that it is possible that his pronunciation 

 of a Latin word is wrong, either in accent or in quantity ? 2. How can 

 he ascertain what the correct pronunciation is ? I may observe that 

 the first (question can hardly arise in connection with the trivial names 

 of any of the Geometrje, Pyralides, Tortrices, or TiNEiE, because, 

 all these have a distinguishing afiix, the penultimate of which is in- 

 variably accentuated ; it is, therefore, only in regard to the trivial 

 names of the Khopalocera, Bombyces, and Nocture, and in generic 

 names that error is possible. 



When a lepidopterist hears the name of an insect pronounced 

 differently, either as regards accent or quantity, from the manner to 

 which he has been accustomed, he may safely infer, provided that the 

 word be not a quadrisyllal)le, that either he or the speaker is in error ; 

 it depends a good deal upon whether the hearer is of an enquiring tarn 

 of mind or not, whether, with the ulterior object of being accurate, he 

 endeavours to ascertain which is the correct pronunciation, or does not. 

 If he had a Lithosia or a Sesia concerning whose identity he had some 

 doubt, he would probabl}^ take the earliest opportunity of consulting 

 some trustworthy book or cabinet, with a view to the resolution of his 

 doubt. I would suggest that, in the case of a doubt about accent or 

 quantity, the Accentuated List should take the place of the cabinet. Two 

 editions of this work are published, one costing only three-i^ence, and 

 containing only the names, with indications„of their accent and quantity ; 

 the other, costing five shillings, and containing in addition, some ac- 

 count of the derivations of the names, with the reasons, where practicable, 

 for the application of such names. Looking at the derivations as a 

 whole, we do not find that they assist the student of pronunciation 

 to the extent that might have been expected ; the cheap edition of the 

 List is quite sufficient to furnish the enquirer with all that he needs to 

 know, in order to accent and pronounce classical names correctly. 



In conclusion, while it is too much to hope that our elders will 

 abandon any errors into which they ma}' have fallen, I would appeal 

 to young entomologists to make an attempt to cope Avith this somewhat 

 difficult niatter and to surmount it. I venture to tliink that it would 

 bo difficult to find any one who Avould maintain that correctness of 

 promxnciation and accent is immaterial, even in private, for is tliere 

 not the possibility of the propagation of errors, especially among the 

 rising generation ? We are all, however, in the habit of exhibiting 

 our captures in a quasi-public manner, and this necessitates the airing 

 of our Latin pronunciation in public ; and I think it will be generally 

 admit t<.^d that every effort should be made, not only to avcia errors, 

 but to attain accuracy as far as possible. 't . 



