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THE STUDY OF INSECTS . 
A little study of the matter, however, is sufficient to show the 
necessity for scientific names. The common names of animals will 
not answer our purpose ; for the same name is often applied to widely 
different animals in different localities, while a single species of animal 
is known by totally different names in different sections of the country. 
In order that information respecting animals may be recorded so 
that there need not be any doubt regarding the animal to which refer¬ 
ence is made, it is necessary that each species or group of species 
should have a distinct name by which it shall be known by naturalists 
in all parts of the world. Therefore, to each branch, class, order, 
family, genus, and species which has been described there has been 
given a special name, by which it is known, and which pertains to this 
group alone. 
As this nomenclature is used by all naturalists of whatever nation¬ 
ality, it is necessary that the names should be in a language which 
can be understood by all. As Latin was the language in which most 
scientific books were written at the time this nomenclature was estab¬ 
lished, that language was chosen as the universal language of science; 
and the rule has been adopted that all names of animals and plants 
shall be Latin, or Latin in form. 
The name of a species consists of two words—the name of the 
genus to which the species belongs, followed by an adjective indicat¬ 
ing the particular species ; for in Latin an adjective follows the noun 
which it qualifies, instead of preceding it as in English. Thus the 
scientific name of the Pigeon-hawk is Falco columbarius; that of the 
Sparrow-hawk is Falco sparverius; and that of the Prairie-falcon is 
Falco mexicanus . 
In the case of many species we find well-marked subspecies or 
geographical races which it is desirable to distinguish by name. Thus 
the Pigeon-hawk occurs over the whole of North America. But we 
find that those that live in the northwest coast region extending from 
California to Sitka, constitute a distinct geographical race known as 
the Black Merlin. As the Black Merlin and the typical Pigeon-hawk 
intergrade, they constitute a single species, which is known as Falco 
columbarius. To the Black Merlin has been applied the subspecific 
name suckleyi . When, therefore, it is desired to refer to the Black 
Merlin as distinguished from the typical Pigeon-hawk the term 
Falco columbarius suckleyi is used. If reference is to be made to the 
typical Pigeon-hawk as distinguished from the Black Merlin, it is 
designated as Falco columbarius columbarius. 
In writing long names like those given above they are frequently 
