CLASSIFICATION AND NOMENCLATUEE. 23 



ever cau be given, inasmuch as the characters which constitute it often 

 possess very diflerent vahies in the ditferent genera and I'aniilies, not 

 only of insects, but of animals generally, and therefore the formation 

 of genera must necessarily be left to the judgment of the author. . 



It is the natnral tendency of the specialist to attach undue value to 

 tiie minor subdivisions of his pajticular department, whilst he whose 

 studies taken Avider range sees mon^ forcibly the necessity of condensa- 

 tion and. sini])lilication. Much can be said ui)on both sides of this (pies- 

 tion, but perhaps the argument may be condensed into a single sentences 

 by saying that, on the one hand, the minute subdivision of a natnral 

 group tends to give detiniteness and precision to our investigations, 

 whilst, on the other hand, the nuiltiplication of genera or snb-geneia, 

 upon trivial characters, uniu'cessarily encumbers our nomencdalnre, and 

 diminishes the interest and importance which ought to attach to the 

 generic distinction. 



In writing the nanu\s of insects — and the same rule nj)])lies to ail 

 other dei>artments of natural history — it is the established custom to 

 write first the name of the genus, usually without the author's name 

 attached, and imnuMliately following it the si)ecific name, with the nanui 

 of the original ilescriber, or an abbreviation of it, appended. As no 

 one can carry all the modern genera of insects in his menuny, it is an 

 excellent jn-ai^tice, when space permits, to prelix the name of the older 

 ivnd more comprehensive genus to which such species was formcily re- 

 ferred, and with which most entomologists may be presumed to be fa- 

 milial'. In tliis case the modern genus is included in a paientliesis, and 

 usually with the author's name attached. 



To illustrate by examples: The conunon rose-slug is the larva of a 

 little, wasp-like insect, known scientiHcally as the ^elatnlria nwr of 

 Harris. This species was fust described by J>r. Harris, who gave to it 

 the specific name rosw, meaning of the rose, it belongs to the modern 

 genus >>!rlan(lri((, which was founded by J)r. Leach, an lOnglish ento- 

 mologist. This genus is a subdivision of the ohl genus Tetitlnrdo^ of 

 liinna'us. The name written in full, therefore, will stand : 



Tenthredo { /Sel^indria, Ijeach^ nmv, Harris. 



Our fine large Polyphenuis moth was originally described by Linna-us 

 under the name of Affaciis Pohjithcmus. It belongs to the modern o-enus 

 Telea, made by the German lepidopterist, Hiibner. Its nam<', there- 

 fore, expressed in the simplest manner, is Telea Polyphemus^ Linn.; or 

 written in full — 



Attaeu,*i CTelca, Hiibner^ Polyphomui^ Linnanis. 



This is ordinarily all that is ess(Mitial to be known, and any additional 

 synonyms or references should be placed in a subordinate position. 



