{ lii ) 



words, while others are distinctly inadmissible in a binomial 

 nomenclatxue founded on Latin. Of course they should all 

 be treated as siujyested names. No change of a name on 

 the ground of pre -occupation should be accepted unless there 

 exists absolute proof that the supposed previous name had 

 and has a genuine existence. 



There is also a lack of saving trouble exhibited by many 

 authors in recent writings ; for instance, Williston in our 

 Transactions of 1806, on page 270, stated that as a genus 

 which he had named Snowia — he did not state in what year — 

 had been previously used — he gave no reference as to when or 

 where it had been previously used, and it necessitated a reference 

 to some fifteen volumes to find out that a Snowia had been 

 suggested in 1884; — but it m.iy save Mr. Williston a little 

 trouble to tell him that his substituted name of Sackeniella 

 was preoccupied in 1894, so that he can now, if he likes, give a 

 third name to his srenus. 



Orthography in Entomology. 



The more exactly any science becomes defined the more 

 exact must the terms become which are used therein, and the 

 more limited their meaning. Philology is a very attractive 

 science which watches the gradual evolution of every word 

 from its first ancestor just as a Darwinian watches, or perhaps 

 I had better say as we all watch, the gradual evolution of the 

 species : nevertheless the Philologist endeavours to fix his word 

 as it should exist at the present moment, just as the Naturalist 

 endeav'ours to fix his species as existing at the present time. 

 Neither the Philologist nor the Naturalist can fight against 

 the perpetual changes which environ them, but the "terms" 

 which are used can be almost fixed, because they are dealt 

 with from a fixed and unalterable date, and consequently all 

 those " terms " can be ranged to agree with that fixed date. 



Linne when establishing the binomial system of nomen- 

 clature founded it upon the Augustan Latin, and it is only 

 by a rigid adherence to that foundation that any attempt at 

 finality of nomenclature can be attained. 



The law of Priority is a very good law, — within limits, as 



