X PREFACE. 



those who are unacquainted with their meaning. It 

 has been observed by an eminent botanist of our 

 country, Dr. Darlington, that ladies find no very 

 great labour in acquiring a perfect knowledge of the 

 technical language of fashion, of mantua-making 

 and millinery. Mousseline de laine, gros de Naples, 

 gimp, gingham, gros des Indes, millenet, inserting, 

 letting, &c. are examples of words which are hard 

 to those who do not comprehend their meaning, but 

 easy enough to those who understand their applica- 

 tion. Morus multicaulis is a systematic name, 

 which was for a time well understood by almost 

 everybody in the United States. 



And the same is true of the systematic names 

 used in Natural History. Where there is a dispo- 

 sition to learn them, they are readily acquired at 

 the cost of a little labour. 



February, 1845. 



