4 HISTORY OF ENTOMOLOGY. 439 
head of the Class; and another, generally longer, and in- 
cluding non-essentials, given at the head of the Genus. 
The first he denominated the essential, and the latter the 
JSactitious or artificial character. He did not do for insects 
what he did for Botany,—draw up what he has called 
the natural character of a genus, which included both the 
others, and noticed every other generic distinction?. 
The older Naturalists used to treasure in their memo- 
ries a short description of each species, by which when 
they wished to speak or write of it they made it known. 
Thus, in speaking of the common lady-bird they would 
call it “the Coccinella with red coleoptra® having seven 
black dots.” This enunciation of any object was at 
‘first called its Title (7%tulus), and afterwards its Speci- 
fic Name (Nomen specificum), and by Linné was restricted 
to twelve words*. Butas the number of species increased 
to remember each definition was no easy task; that he 
might remedy this inconvenience, he invented what is 
called the Trivial Name (Nomen triviale), which ex- 
pressed any species by a single term added to its generic 
appellation, as Coccinella septem-punctata; and thereby 
conferred a lasting benefit on Natural History. This conve- 
nient invention has rendered it less necessary to restrict the 
Nomen specificum to twelve words: itis desirable, however, 
that the definition of a species should be as short as pos- 
sible, and contain only its déstinctive characters. In his 
definitions and descriptions Linné was often very happy ; 
but sometimes, in studying to avoid prolixity, he forgets 
Horace’s hint, 
sesssssceoee “© Brevis esse laboro 
Obscurus fio—’’ 
4 Linn. Philos. Botan. n. 87, 188, 189. 
» See above, p. 333, n. 5. ¢ Ibid. n. 291. 
