CLASSIFICATION OF THE LEPIDOPTERA Gl 



to vomit forth a long list of scientific names of butterflies and 

 moths which (to them) have no meaning whatever ; and it is asto- 

 nishing that we meet with so many youngsters who can rattle 

 away such terms, and, at the same time, are totally ignorant of 

 the real nature of the creatures they name. 



If you wish to be a naturalist in the true sense of the term, study 

 your specimens, and take but little pains to commit their hard 

 names to memory ; and you will then find that the latter will 

 gradually become your own property without any special effort on 

 your part. Your continued reference to illustrated works and 

 museum collections will bring them to you almost unconsciously, 

 and you will generally find your entomological vocabulary extend- 

 ing as rapidly as your cabinet becomes filled. 



Again, with regard to the meanings of the scientific terms, don't 

 trouble much about them. It unfortunately happens that in a very 

 large number of cases these names are ill chosen, and do not in any 

 way refer to the distinguishing characteristics of the species to 

 which they are applied. You will observe, too, if you look at the 

 table, that many insects have two scientific names applied to the 

 species, one being placed in brackets after the other. In such 

 cases both these names are in common use, having both been 

 applied by independent authorities, and the insertion of the 

 two will prove an assistance at times. 



It is a common practice with entomologists, in their communi- 

 cations, to use only the second or specific name of insects. Thus, 

 they would speak of the Brimstone Butterfly as Bhamni, and not 

 Gonopteryx Rhamni. When writing a communication, however, 

 they very commonly place in front of the specific name the initial 

 letter of the first or generic name. Thus the full title of the 

 butterfly just mentioned would be abbreviated to G. Rhamni. 



Having said so much concerning the principles of classification 

 and nomenclature, we will pass on to the practical portion of the 

 entomologist's work. 



