170 BARON WALCKENAER ON THE INSECTS 



dressing to me, respecting the interpretation of the name of an insect 

 infesting the vine mentioned by Plautus. The text of this author in 

 the passage alluded to is so explicit that I ventured immediately to 

 give the solution required. To assure myself that I was not mistaken 

 I commenced an examination of what ancient and modern authors had 

 written on the species of insects infesting the vine, and the means of 

 destroying them ; but in explaining and arranging the ancient texts, and 

 in afterwards applying them to the observations of the modems, I found 

 more difficulties than I expected ; I however exerted all my efforts to 

 surmount them. Such was the origin of this Memoir. The subject will 

 doubtless appear minute, but as learning, natural histoiy, and agriculture 

 are equally interested in it, I think it cannot be considered either futile 

 or unworthy of attention. 



This Memoir will be divided into three sections. The first, which 

 will be in some degree preparatory, will contain a critical examination of 

 the ancient texts relative to the signification of the names of insects 

 designated in them as being particularly injurious to the vine. 



In the second section, by means of results obtained in the first, I shall 

 determine which are the species of insects known to the ancients and 

 modems as being those injiirious to the vine : I shall then indicate the 

 means of preventing their ravages. 



In the third section this dissertation will be terminated by a concord- 

 ance of names, that is to say, a synonymy of all the species of insects 

 mentioned in these researches, arranged in classes, which will render its 

 application to use easy to those naturalists and agriculturists who may 

 tliink proper to have recourse to it. 



First Section. 



Critical examination of the ancient texts with respect to the signification 

 of the names of insects Avhich are therein mentioned as being parti- 

 cularly injurious to the vine. 



I. Preliminaries. — This section is, as I have already said, only pre- 

 paratory to the principal object of the Memoir. 



No application of modern names to interpret the ancient texts will 

 here be made ; but we shall content ourselves with investigating the sig- 

 nification of the ancient words, by means of the use to which the an- 

 cients themselves have applied them. In the second section the circum- 

 stances or the particulars of this use will enable us to interpret the an- 

 cient names, that is to say, to asceilain the names corresponding to them 

 in the language of naturalists, the only names applicable to the defini- 

 tions and descriptions proper to determine with precision the objects 

 named. The vulgar names will be only a secondary consideration. 



For objects, the differences of which escape supei-ficial observation, the 



