INSECTS INJURIOUS TO THE VINE. 121 



this had been easy to do, it would hardly have been left 

 undone." 



These considerations have induced me to write and to 

 submit to the Academy 5 these researches, which I was led to 

 make by a question put to me by one of our learned brethren 

 on the subject of the interpretation of the name of an insect 

 infesting the vine, mentioned by Plautus. The passage ap- 

 peared so plain to me that I thought I could at once have 

 given the meaning required. In order to satisfy myself that 

 I was not mistaken, I examined what had been said by ancient 

 and modern authors concerning the kinds of insects injurious to 

 the vine, and on the means of destroying them. But, in un- 

 ravelling the meaning of ancient passages, in comparing these, 

 and afterwards in considering them in connexion with the 

 observations of the moderns, I found greater difficulties than 

 I had anticipated ; to overcome these I used every effort — 

 such was the origin of this memoir. The subject will doubt- 

 less appear trifling to some, but as it is alike interesting 

 whether considered in connexion with the study of ancient 

 learning, natural history, or agriculture, I cannot consider it 

 as useless or unworthy of attention. 



This memoir will be divided into three sections. The first, 

 which may be considered as merely preparatory, will contain 

 a critical examination of ancient passages in relation to the 

 meaning of the names of insects which are mentioned therein 

 as being particularly injurious to the vine. 



In the second, I shall determine, by means of results ob- 

 tained in the first, what are the species of insects injurious to 

 the vine, known to the ancients and moderns, and shall point 

 out the best means of preventing their attacks. 



In the third section, a classified concordance of names ; i. e. 

 a synonymy of all the names which occur in these researches, 

 will terminate the treatise, and render it of easy reference 

 to those naturalists and agriculturists who may wish to con- 

 sult it. 



b This paper was read at the Academy of Inscriptions, of which the author is 

 a member, before it was communicated to the Entomological Society. 



