^^ ( xcviii ) 



resulted from the action of the Zoological Society in refusing 

 as unjustifiable and xillra vires an attempt to change the 

 familiar and world-wide application of the generic name Tinea 

 of Linne — to remove this name from the clothes-moths and 

 transfer it to the honey-moths {GaUeriadae), with which it 

 had never been specially associated. This would involve not 

 only the change of generic names but also of the higher groups, 

 Tineitta, Tineidae and Gidleriadae, the only grounds for the 

 change being the numerical sequence of species in the series. 

 The system was founded on a total disregard of all systematic 

 or critical work done after tlie original ])ublication of a generic 

 name, and the result would be to cancel everything that had 

 been done, and to say that all work was wrong unless the first 

 species had been selected as the type. The ado])tion of Sir 

 George Hampson's sytem would involve the change of every 

 familiar generic name, unless by chance the first species had 

 been constituted the type by earlier authors. Nothing could 

 be gained by such alterations exce])t uniformity of treatment 

 in one series of vnlumcs to wliicli no one else but the author 

 was committed. 



Years ago Sir George Hampson started a correspondence 

 on this subject with the following letter : — 



" British Muxeiim (Xatiiral History), 



''S(pt. I2th, 1896. 



" Dear Sirs, 



" As there is a probability of a new British IMuseum 

 descriptive Catalogue of all the described species of Heterocera 

 being shortly commenced it is thought advisable to consult a 

 certain number of the best-known authors on the Lepidrptera 

 as to the system of nomenclature which is to be adopted. 

 With this object in view the enclosed list of questions is sent 

 to you, and if you will be good enough to express your views 

 on the subject they will be of great assistance in forming the 

 scheme of the work, and j^erhajjs contribute to attaining a 

 more uniform system of nomenclature in the Lepidoptera. 



" The names selected for consultation are : — Prof. Scudder, 

 Prof. Fernald. Prof. J. B. Smith, Dr. Staudinger. Herr P. C. T. 

 Snellen, Prof. Aurivillius, Prof. A. R. Grote, Lord Walsingham, 

 E. Meyrick, Esq., W. F. Kirby, Esq., and Sir G. F. Hampson. 



