THE MAGAZINE 



OF 



NATURAL HISTORY. 



SEPTEMBER, 1833. 



ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 



Art. I. Some Remarks on Genera and Subgenera, and on the Prin- 

 ciples on vohich they should be established. By the Rev. Leonard 

 Jenyns, A.M. F.L.S.* 



The vast accumulation of new species which has resulted 

 from modern discoveries in natural history has led, as might 

 have been expected, to a great increase also in the number of 

 genera. 



So long as these genera are constructed upon true philoso- 

 phical principles, it would be ridiculous to declaim against 

 them on the mere ground that, by enlarging the nomencla- 

 ture, we render the science more difficult, and less inviting 

 to beginners. As the science extends, the difficulty of stu- 

 dying it in all its details must necessarily increase also ; and 

 it clearly cannot remain stationary, so long as new forms 

 continue to pour in upon us, wholly different from those we 

 are already acquainted with. 



But it deserves to be considered by naturalists, whether it 

 be not owing to the violation and neglect of these principles, 

 that some real ground has been afforded of late years for 

 complaints of this nature. It appears to be very much the 

 practice of zoologists, in this country, to establish genera upon 

 every slight variation of structure, even when confined to a 

 single organ, without considering the agreement or disagree- 

 ment of the organs in general ,• or, at least, without duly esti- 

 mating the value of those characters, which the supposed 

 variation may afford. The consequence has been, that, in 



* Read at Cambridge before the Section for Natural History of thft 

 British Association, June 26. 1833. 

 Vol. VI. — No. 35. c c 



