430 On Nomenclature. 



Hians, Mellivora, Setifer, Vaginalis, Balearica ; all equally 

 applicable to different animals, and good epithets to dis- 

 criminate species. 



15. Names of extravagant length, of harsh and difficult 

 pronunciation, or otherwise odious, from offensive association 

 of ideas, should, as far as possible, be avoided. E. g. Hyper- 

 6odon, pestle or pounding-tooth ; Phalacro-corax, bald-crow ; 

 Loncheres, a species of porcupine (the unlearned are en- 

 trapped into mispronunciation of this name, and many others, 

 as Trichechus, from 3pj£ and e%a>, to have hair, or bristles 

 above the mouth) ; Hypsiprymnus, high-rump ; Dasyprocta, 

 hirsute or shaggy-rump ; Mephites, a word said by Scaliger 

 to be of Etruscan origin, and to signify the deity of foul and 

 stinking air ; the term, however, is characteristic of the 

 polecat. There is more objection to some botanical names 

 which I will not enumerate, and some to nicknames ; as 

 Mormon, from poppcM, a mask, goblin, or scarecrow. 



16. The names of art should not be given to genera, 

 viz. names by which a painter or sculptor would describe 

 the objects ; as A x pus, without feet, or Micropus, because they 

 are small. This rule has several other instances, to all of 

 which I would apply the concluding remark in No. 14. 



17. Names of genera to which all or any of the species are 

 contradictory are to be rejected ; as Monodon monoceros, for 

 the narwhal has two tusks, and so has ancylodon (curved 

 tooth) or the Monodon spurius Fabricii. The name A s pus 

 is also contrary to fact.* 



18. Names devised in behalf of a particular theory tend 

 to bias the judgment and preclude investigation. 



19. I will only add, it is desirable for the sake of the greater 

 number of readers, that naturalists would generally give the 

 etymon or origin of names not very familiar, whether single 

 or compound, belonging to species or to genera ; and note 

 likewise the accentuation or length of syllables, especially, 

 the penultimate. A vocabulary of zoological, botanical, 

 mineralogical, and chemical names, so explained, would much 

 benefit students. The Rev. J. Burrows has duly observed 

 this rule in his Elements of Conchology. Illiger applies it to 

 the names derived from the Greek introduced by himself. In 

 the very interesting entomology of Kirby and Spence is a 

 letter styled Orismology or explanation of terms of the science, 

 which, however, does not include names of genera and species. 



1 9. Finally : it would be useful to adopt some rule for the 



* Also anatifera, as the Lepas does not produce ducks. Dipus and 

 Didelphys are liable to similar censure. 



