58 



CLASSIFICATION AtfD NOMENCLATURE. 



unimportant characters are said to form a genus. Eacli genus and 

 each species receive names. Thus the Indian locusts belong to one 

 genus, Acridium. Of these one 

 species is Acridinm peregrinum, 

 another is Acridium succinctum, 

 and so on. Each species thus has 

 a double name, one for the species, 

 another for the genus. 



These names are generally com- 

 posed of Greek or Latin words. 

 In old days every one in Europe 

 knew these languages, and so 

 these names could be understood 

 by scientists of all the Euro- 

 pean nations, whether they were 

 French, German, English, etc. 



FIG. 87. 

 M'ullerry tree Soring Beetle. 



Originally these names had definite meanings, but the number of 

 known species is now so great that almost any word is used put into a 

 Latinised form. 



At the end of every scientific name there is an abbreviation for the 

 name of the person who first described and named that insect ; thus the 

 full title of the North-West locust is Acridium peregrinum, Oliv. ' Pere- 

 grinum ' is the name given to the species by Oliver, and as it resembles 

 other insects of the genus Acridinm it is put into that genus. 



FIG. 88. 

 G-ntl of Mulberry Boring Beetle. 



This system of naming insects is absolutely necessary for systema- 

 tists and scientists ; it is however very confusing, as entomologists 

 are not agreed as to the original name given to each insect. Two 



