IV INTRODUCTION. 



which doubt is attached as to their indigenous pretensions, are dis- 

 tinguished by an asterisk (*) prefixed. 



JOHN EDWARD GRAY. 

 British Museum, 



April Uth, 1852. 



Note. — Mr. Stephens observes, " He has pursued the plan com- 

 menced in the former part of this Catalogue, not only as to the 

 arrangement of the contents, but in respect to all other particulars of 

 nomenclature, &c. Upon this last-mentioned subject, however, he is 

 desirous of adding a few remarks elucidatory of his opinions thereon, 

 more especially as regards the nomenclature of the species, as from 

 adhering to a rule hereunder noticed, many of the names have been 

 by modern writers unnecessarily changed, and thus the " Babel " per- 

 plexity has been increased, will increase, and must continue increas- 

 ing, unless a vigorous stand is made to arrest its progress, by 

 adhering as strictly as practicable solely to priority : e. g. the Tor- 

 trix bistriana, Haw., has (correctly enough) been referred to the 

 T. rufana, W. V. 1775, and this last name properly retained for the 

 species, as a Peronea, {vide page 8). In the author's ' Illustrations ' 

 there is a Carpocapsa rufana, now this name has been changed lo 

 Westwoodiana — as by the modern Micro-lepidopterological rules, 

 alluded to above, there must not be two species, of the same name, 

 in the higher groups terminating in ana, ella, &c. : f this last name 



*'t Guenee (Mi. 83) discards the name Cribrum, as impossible to 

 he empbi/ed, amongst the Tineec, because it is applied to a Bombyx! 

 Can absurdity go further ? What would the Coleopterist do with 

 his rufipes, pallidipennis, ater, &c. by following out so capricious a 

 rule ? " 



