248 Miscellaneous. 



that the author divides them, and we think rightly, into five tribes. 

 This diversity gives the study of this family great interest, as light 

 may be thrown on some of the difficult problems connected with the 

 classification of the Clavicornia, and may determine the proper 

 position of the Coccinellidre, which is still somewhat doubtful. 



Those who are acquainted with the author's work on the 

 Trichopterygidae will not, we feel sure, be disappointed with the 

 present volume, which shows everywhere the great care that has 

 been taken in its preparation. The small size of these insects 

 (apparently nearly all considerably less than two millimetres in 

 length) has deterred many from examining them; but this work 

 has rendered the study of the group possible even to an outsider, as 

 the figures of details are very good. The plates are admirably 

 executed, but we cannot help regretting that only half-figures are 

 given : these do not satisfactorily convey to the eye the form of the 

 insect, and there is room on the plates for complete figures. 



The editor and publisher are both to be congratulated on the 

 publication of this work ; they seem to have spared no pains to 

 make it worthy of the author. We presume the wing of Tricho- 

 pteryx on the cover, as it does not in any way indicate the contents 

 of the book, is to be regarded as the author's entomological coat 

 of arms. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



Priority or Usage. 



To the Editors of the ' Annals and Magazine of Natural History.' 



Gentlemen, — Many who, like myself, had " the advantage of a 

 classical education " must remember the joy, alike of master and 

 scholar, when the "note" said that a given word was an uVa£ 

 Xeyofxeror. It was as water in a dry land, as the word Mesopotamia 

 to the historical old woman. 



And now to think of the joy of it ! anus (see Sharpe, Preface to 

 1 Hand-list of Birds,' ii. p. vi) is found to be a Greek word meaning 

 " weariness." Whether Euripides ever used this word is very 

 doubtful ; but it seems certain that he never used it twice, and that 

 no other known Greek author ever used it at all. It is a true 

 anal Xeyofievor, a gem of the purest water ! 



But see to what shifts the priority-purist who wants to apply 

 Apus to the swift (see the preceding volume of these ' Aunals,' 

 p. 480) is reduced ! At first sight it is astounding ; on reflection it 

 is seen to be appropriate ; for, after all, what is the priority-purist 

 but a searcher after airu'l \ey6fieva — names used once and decent! v 

 buried in some dusty magazine, which he drags to the light and 

 uses to eject world-known terms. Let these purists beware lest, 

 when the history of zoology be written, they find themselves anal 

 Xeyv/jeroi, and not too politely at that ! 



Your faithful Servant, 

 14th July, 1900. F. Jeffrk? Bioll. 



