132 THE NAUTILUS. 



(1) What is the stem of Turris? (2) Is it possible to insert 

 a t in the second syllable of this stem without changing the 

 nature of the word itself? (3) In view of the facts as stated, 

 and in strict adherence to Article 4 of the International Rules, 

 what do you consider to be the preferred orthography for the 

 family name based on this genus? (4) Do you consider any 

 alternative spellings permissible? 



Professor Foster's reply is so detailed and withal so interest- 

 ing that with his kind permission I am reproducing the major 

 portion of it here, especially since it seems conclusive regarding 

 the points at issue. 



"The stem of turris is turn; and the ending ides would give 

 us turriides. But it is a rule of word-formation that ' the final 

 vowel of a stem is lost before the initial vowel of a suffix, e. g., 

 aur-eus ('golden') from auro- (aurum).' (Hale and Buck, 

 Latin Grammar, 205.2.) Therefore we may at once rule out 

 Turriidae as a possible derivative, in favor of Turridae (I give 

 the plural, as this seems to be what you want; the singular 

 would be turr ides'). 



"The ending in question is really a Greek suffix, used to 

 denote that the name in question means the son (or descend- 

 ant) of the person designated by the simple noun. Thus 

 lurrides would mean 'son of a Tower,' and Tnrrldae, 'the sons 

 of a Tower,' or 'the Tower family.' When I say that it is 

 Greek, I do not mean that it is not found in Latin; it is found 

 frequently, but always, I think, in Greak patronymics (or Latin 

 patronymics consciously formed in imitation of the Greek ones), 

 which the Latin writer (usually a poet) has occasion to intro- 

 duce into his text. Examples would be: Pelides ' son of Peleus,' 

 Philyridex 'son of Philyra.' 



" As to the form Turritidae, it is obviously meant as a deriva- 

 tive from the adjective turritus. The stem of this adjective is 

 turrito, but, as above, the final short vowel would be dropped 

 before the initial vowel of the ending -idae, and Turritidae is 

 therefore correctly formed. But it is to be observed that the 

 suffix, or ending in question is employed in Latin authors only 

 in composition with the names of persons, nouns substantive, 

 and that Turritidae would therefore be decidedly anomalous. 



