diff --git a/packages/core/src/assertions.js b/packages/core/src/assertions.js
index a978e66..7861772 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/assertions.js
+++ b/packages/core/src/assertions.js
@@ -35,8 +35,10 @@ Seal.prototype.toJSON = function () {
   return { '@seal': 0 };
 };
 
-module.exports.Observe = Struct.makeConstructor('Observe', ['specification']);
+module.exports.Discard = Struct.makeConstructor('discard', []);
+module.exports.Capture = Struct.makeConstructor('capture', ['specification']);
+module.exports.Observe = Struct.makeConstructor('observe', ['specification']);
 module.exports.Seal = Seal;
-module.exports.Inbound = Struct.makeConstructor('Inbound', ['assertion']);
-module.exports.Outbound = Struct.makeConstructor('Outbound', ['assertion']);
-module.exports.Instance = Struct.makeConstructor('Instance', ['uniqueId']);
+module.exports.Inbound = Struct.makeConstructor('inbound', ['assertion']);
+module.exports.Outbound = Struct.makeConstructor('outbound', ['assertion']);
+module.exports.Instance = Struct.makeConstructor('instance', ['uniqueId']);
diff --git a/packages/core/src/dataspace.js b/packages/core/src/dataspace.js
index bb346e6..d4b96ae 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/dataspace.js
+++ b/packages/core/src/dataspace.js
@@ -25,9 +25,6 @@ const Bag = require('./bag.js');
 const Assertions = require('./assertions.js');
 const Dataflow = require('./dataflow.js');
 
-const __ = Struct.__;
-const _$ = Struct._$;
-
 const PRIORITY = Object.freeze({
   QUERY_HIGH: 0,
   QUERY: 1,
diff --git a/packages/core/src/index.js b/packages/core/src/index.js
index 67c55ae..2dd4e83 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/index.js
+++ b/packages/core/src/index.js
@@ -32,8 +32,6 @@ module.exports.Bag = require("./bag.js");
 module.exports.Struct = Struct;
 module.exports.Skeleton = Skeleton;
 module.exports.RandomID = RandomID;
-module.exports.__ = Struct.__;
-module.exports._$ = Skeleton._$;
 
 module.exports._Dataspace = Dataspace;
 module.exports.Dataspace = Dataspace.Dataspace;
@@ -41,6 +39,8 @@ module.exports.currentFacet = Dataspace.Dataspace.currentFacet;
 module.exports.Ground = Ground;
 
 module.exports._Assertions = Assertions;
+module.exports.Discard = Assertions.Discard;
+module.exports.Capture = Assertions.Capture;
 module.exports.Observe = Assertions.Observe;
 module.exports.Seal = Assertions.Seal;
 module.exports.Inbound = Assertions.Inbound;
diff --git a/packages/core/src/skeleton.js b/packages/core/src/skeleton.js
index ab2a012..d91408e 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/skeleton.js
+++ b/packages/core/src/skeleton.js
@@ -21,9 +21,7 @@ const Immutable = require("immutable");
 const Struct = require('./struct.js');
 const $Special = require('./special.js');
 const Bag = require('./bag.js');
-const Assertions = require('./assertions.js');
-
-const __ = Struct.__;
+const { Capture, Discard } = require('./assertions.js');
 
 const EVENT_ADDED = +1;
 const EVENT_REMOVED = -1;
@@ -275,24 +273,6 @@ Index.prototype.sendMessage = function(v) {
 
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
-// The name argument should be a string or null; it defaults to null.
-// The pattern argument defaults to wildcard, __.
-function Capture(name, pattern) {
-  this.name = name;
-  this.pattern = (pattern === void 0 ? __ : pattern);
-}
-
-// Abbreviation: _$(...) <==> new Capture(...)
-function _$(name, pattern) {
-  return new Capture(name, pattern);
-}
-
-function isCapture(x) { return x instanceof Capture || x === _$; }
-function captureName(x) { return x instanceof Capture ? x.name : null; }
-function capturePattern(x) { return x instanceof Capture ? x.pattern : __; }
-
-///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-
 function analyzeAssertion(a) {
   let constPaths = Immutable.List();
   let constVals = Immutable.List();
@@ -308,10 +288,10 @@ function analyzeAssertion(a) {
       }
       return result;
     } else {
-      if (isCapture(a)) {
+      if (Capture.isClassOf(a)) {
         capturePaths = capturePaths.push(path);
-        return walk(path, capturePattern(a));
-      } else if (a === __) {
+        return walk(path, a.get(0));
+      } else if (Discard.isClassOf(a)) {
         return null;
       } else {
         constPaths = constPaths.push(path);
@@ -333,10 +313,4 @@ module.exports.EVENT_REMOVED = EVENT_REMOVED;
 module.exports.EVENT_MESSAGE = EVENT_MESSAGE;
 module.exports.Index = Index;
 
-module.exports.Capture = Capture;
-module.exports._$ = _$;
-module.exports.isCapture = isCapture;
-module.exports.captureName = captureName;
-module.exports.capturePattern = capturePattern;
-
 module.exports.analyzeAssertion = analyzeAssertion;
diff --git a/packages/core/src/struct.js b/packages/core/src/struct.js
index f3c66fb..213d5fe 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/struct.js
+++ b/packages/core/src/struct.js
@@ -22,20 +22,15 @@
 const Immutable = require("immutable");
 const $Special = require('./special.js');
 
-/* Defined here rather than elsewhere because we need it in makeConstructor. */
-const __ = new $Special("wildcard"); /* wildcard marker */
-
 function StructureType(label, arity) {
   this.label = label;
   this.arity = arity;
-  // this.pattern = this.instantiate(Immutable.Repeat(__, arity).toArray());
 
   var self = this;
   this.ctor = function () {
     return self.instantiate(Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments));
   };
   this.ctor.meta = this;
-  // this.ctor.pattern = this.pattern;
   this.ctor.isClassOf = function (v) { return self.isClassOf(v); };
 }
 
@@ -165,7 +160,6 @@ function isStructure(v) {
 
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
-module.exports.__ = __;
 module.exports.StructureType = StructureType;
 module.exports.makeConstructor = makeConstructor;
 module.exports.Structure = Structure;
diff --git a/packages/driver-http-node/src/index.js b/packages/driver-http-node/src/index.js
index 008b6ef..f8a3699 100644
--- a/packages/driver-http-node/src/index.js
+++ b/packages/driver-http-node/src/index.js
@@ -16,8 +16,7 @@
 // along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 //---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-import { genUuid, Seal, Observe, Dataspace, Skeleton, currentFacet } from "@syndicate-lang/core";
-const { isCapture, captureName } = Skeleton;
+import { genUuid, Seal, Capture, Observe, Dataspace, currentFacet } from "@syndicate-lang/core";
 import { parse as parseUrl } from "url";
 
 const http = require('http');
@@ -60,7 +59,7 @@ function _server(host, port, httpsOptions) {
   const wsHandlerMap = {};
 
   function encodePath(path) {
-    return JSON.stringify(path.toJS().map((s) => isCapture(s) ? null : s));
+    return JSON.stringify(path.toJS().map((s) => Capture.isClassOf(s) ? null : s));
   }
 
   during Observe(Request(_, server, $method, $pathPattern, _, _)) {
diff --git a/packages/syntax/src/plugin.js b/packages/syntax/src/plugin.js
index 8cba8f9..053cfdf 100644
--- a/packages/syntax/src/plugin.js
+++ b/packages/syntax/src/plugin.js
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ function hasCapturesOrDiscards(nodePath) {
   return result;
 }
 
-const _discardAst = template.expression(`SYNDICATE.__`, { placeholderPattern: /^[A-Z]+$/ });
+const _discardAst = template.expression(`SYNDICATE.Discard()`);
 function discardAst(state) {
   return _discardAst({ SYNDICATE: state.SyndicateID });
 }
@@ -71,10 +71,9 @@ function listAst(state, vs) {
   return _listAst({ IMMUTABLE: state.ImmutableID, VS: vs });
 }
 
-function captureWrap(state, idNode, ast) {
-  return template.expression(`SYNDICATE._$(NAME, PATTERN)`, { placeholderPattern: /^[A-Z]+$/ })({
+function captureWrap(state, ast) {
+  return template.expression(`SYNDICATE.Capture(PATTERN)`)({
     SYNDICATE: state.SyndicateID,
-    NAME: t.stringLiteral(idNode.name.slice(1)),
     PATTERN: ast
   });
 }
@@ -114,7 +113,7 @@ function compilePattern(state, patternPath) {
           // It's a capture with a nested subpattern.
           pushCapture(pattern.callee);
           let [s, a] = walk(patternPath.get('arguments.0'));
-          return [s, captureWrap(state, pattern.callee, a)];
+          return [s, captureWrap(state, a)];
         } else {
           // It's a regular call. If there are nested captures or
           // discards, this indicates the programmer believes it to be
@@ -146,7 +145,7 @@ function compilePattern(state, patternPath) {
           return [t.nullLiteral(), discardAst(state)];
         } else if (isCaptureIdentifier(pattern)) {
           pushCapture(pattern);
-          return [t.nullLiteral(), captureWrap(state, pattern, discardAst(state))];
+          return [t.nullLiteral(), captureWrap(state, discardAst(state))];
         } else {
           pushConstant(pattern);
           return [t.nullLiteral(), pattern];