CHAPTER II 
THE SPOTTED LARINUS 
ea is a vague term, which cannot 
teach us anything. The word sounds 
well. It is something not to afflict the ear 
with raucous spittings; but the prentice 
reader wants more than this. He expects 
the name to give him, in euphonious syllables, 
a brief description of the insect named. 
This would help to guide him in the midst of 
the vast multitude. 
I cordially agree with him, while recogni- 
zing what an arduous task it would be to de- 
vise a rational nomenclature that would give 
the beasts the forenames and surnames which 
they deserve. Our ignorance condemns us to 
be vague and often nonsensical. Let us con- 
sider a case in point. 
What does Larinus mean? The Greek 
lexicon tells us: Aapwds, fatty, fat. Has the 
insect which is the subject of this chapter 
any right to such a description? Not at all. 
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