LATIN NAMES. 45 



Podalirius, Erebia Ligea, Argynnis Dia, Chrysophanus 

 Chryseis, and Polyommatus Boeticus, liave been so rarely 

 taken as to be refused a place among the regular denizens 

 of our island. So that we can only reckon up the small 

 number of sixty-five species of true British butterflies. 



These it now remains to describe individually, but, 

 prior to entering on that task, I would say a few words 

 on the acquirement of scientific nomenclature and sys- 

 tematic arrangement, a knowledge of which will facili- 

 tate even our recreations in natural history, while it is 

 absolutely essential to carrying out the really scientific 

 study of any department. 



It is true, that the painting of a butterfly and the 

 fragrance of a flower can give deep pleasure to a mind 

 quite unconscious of their Latin names, their genus, 

 order, or anything of the kind; but the interest of 

 natural objects is, I am sure, greatly augmented when 

 we acquire some insight, however dimly, into the won- 

 derful mechanism of creation's plan, its infinite grada- 

 tion of forms, and their curious, subtle relationships, 

 to which a good system of classification serves, in some 

 degree, as an index. I say, " in some degree" as a sys- 

 tem framed in perfect accordance with that of nature 

 is a discovery rather to be desired than hoped for, with 

 the limited knowledge at present permitted to us. 



Though these Latin names are generally considered 

 as unwelcome excrescences on the pages df popular 

 natural history works, I would yet advise the young 

 entomologist to master them for once, and accustom 

 himself well to their use. He will not find the task a 

 very difficult one, if I may judge from the repeated 

 instances in which I have heard the almost infantile 

 progeny of my naturalist friends glibly mouthing these 

 redoubtable words, and applying them with the most 

 precise accuracy. 



Among collectors it is customary in familiar conver- 

 sation to use only the second, or specific name of the 

 insect's Latin title ; thus, in speaking of the common 

 Swallow-tailed Butterfly, they call it " Machaon " only, 



