65 [ 485 ] 



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

 possess very different values in the different genera and families, 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 natural tendency of the specialist to attach undue value to 

 the minor subdivisions of his particular department, whilst he whose 

 studies take a wdder range sees more forcibly the necessity of cod den sa- 

 tion and simplification. Much can be said upon both sides of this 

 question, but jjerhaps the argument may be condensed into a single sen- 

 tence by saying that, on the one hand, the minute subdivision of a na- 

 tural group tends to give definiteness and precision to our investiga- 

 tions, whilst, on the other hand, the multiplication of genera or sub- 

 genera upon trivial characters, unnecessarily Micumbers our nomencla- 

 ture, and diminishes the interest and importance which ought to attach 

 to the generic distinction. 



In writing the names of insects— and the same rule applies to all 

 other departments of natural history — it is the established custom to 

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

 attached, and immediately following it the specific name, with the name 

 of the original describer, or an abreviation of it, appended. As no one 

 can carry all the modern genera of insects in his memory, it is an ex- 

 cellent practice, whtin space permits, to prefix the name of the older 

 and more comprehensive genus to which such species was formerly re- 

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

 miliar. In this case the modern genus is included in a parenthesis, and 

 usually with the author's name attached. 



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

 little wasp-like insect known scientifically as the Selcmdria rosce of Har- 

 ris. This species was first described by Dr. Harris, who gave to it the 

 specific name ros(v, meaning of the rose. It belongs to the modern 

 genus Selandria, which was founded by Dr. Leach, an English ento- 

 mologist. This genus is a subdivision of the old genus Tenthredo, of 

 Linnaeus. The name written in full, therefore, will stand : 



Tenthredo f Selcmdria, Leach^ rosce, Harris. 



Our fine large Polyphemus moth was originally described by Linnaeus 

 under the name of Attacus Polyphemus. It belongs to the modern genus 

 Telea, made by the German lepidoiJterist, Hubuer. Its name, therefore, 

 expressed in the simplest manner, is Telea Polyphemus, Linn.; or writ- 

 ten in fuU — 



Attacus f Telea, HuhnerJ Polyphemus, Linnaeus. 



This is ordinarily all that is essential to be known, and any additional 

 synonyms or references should be placed in a subordinate position. 

 Vol. IV— 52 



