70 COLEOPTERA. 



which the Monarch flourished, according to a system in 

 vogue when I was i7i statu pupillari. 



A somewhat more feasible idea is suggested by Lichten- 

 stein, in the " Petites nouvelles Entomologiques," 1870, 

 No. 17, p. ^^'i viz., that of a trinomial system, in which the 

 old name of the genus is to be retained as well as the modern 

 (Eagonot, ihid.^ No. 18, p. 70, objects to this, and would 

 prefer to use as a generic name an equivalent for the " sub- 

 division" in which any species is placed ; e. g., " Carabus^'' 

 spmibarbis for Leistus id., — Leistus being in the CarabidcB), 

 This scheme of Lichtenstein's is practically repeated in the 

 pamphlet on "The Object and Method of zoological Nomen- 

 clature" recently (Nov. 1873) published by Dr. Sharp, whose 

 good work in connection with British Coleoptera has so 

 often been recorded in former " Annuals," but who is now, 

 unfortunately for us, too engrossed in the study of exotic 

 forms to continue his share of the elucidation of our species 

 as heretofore. In connection with such works as this (re- 

 markable for its freedom from personality, and for the 

 evidently good and earnest purpose of its author), the first 

 idea suggested to the reader appears to me to be their 

 hopeless and entire want of practical utility. If their authors 

 could have been consulted when the system now universally 

 adopted and most firmly established was about to be promul- 

 gated, any benefits to be derived from their opinions could 

 have been secured ; but now, when the binomial system, 

 based, or supposed to be based, upon languages understood 

 by all educated beings (and which are incapable of further 

 change, being now dead languages, save for such purposes), 

 is so deeply rooted in all countries, any attempt to eradicate 

 it seems as little likely to succeed as the (equally praise- 

 worthy) modern endeavour to establish a Phonetic system 



