Mr J. D. Dana on Nomenclature in Natural History. 303 



and therefore, when the latter genus came, in the course of 

 time, to be divided into two, it was incorrect to give the con- 

 demned name Mofiaulus to one of the portions. The names 

 CEdemia and Melanetta were originally synonyms ; but their 

 respective types were taken from different sections of the 

 group, and consequently, on raising these two sections to 

 genera, these names are retained for the groups. 



§ 3. There are other limitations of the law of priority, 

 arising from violations of the rules of propriety in the intro- 

 duction of names. They are as follows : — 



a. Names given to species or groups unaccompanied by 

 published characteristic descriptions, should yield place to 

 the earliest name accompanying such descriptions. 



It has been customary with some naturalists to give names 

 to species in their cabinets, or in a published catalogue, and on 

 this ground, to claim authority for such names. This should 

 not be allowed. Neither is it sufficient that the description 

 appear in a public newspaper, or in a journal not generally 

 known for its scientific character, or in language so brief and 

 indefinite that the object cannot be recognized by it. 



h. A name of a species already in use for another species 

 of the same genus, should be changed : also, a generic 

 name in Zoology, before employed for a genus in that king- 

 dom should be changed ; and the same in the Vegetable 

 kingdom. 



c. A name glaringly opposed in its signification to the 

 essential characteristics of a species or group, and likely to 

 propagate important errors, may be changed. 



Such terms as Monodon, Caprimulgus, Paradisea apoda, 

 and Monoculus, have acquired sufficient currency no longer 

 to cause error, and are therefore retained without inconve- 

 nience. Names derived from localities, where the species are 

 found to have wider limits, should still be retained. But 

 when we find a Batrachian reptile named, in violation of its 

 true affinities, Mastodonsaurus^ or when a name is derived 

 from an accidental monstrosity, as in Picus semirostris of 

 Linnaeus and Helix disjuncta of Turton, another name should 

 be substituted. This privilege should be allowed only in 

 extreme cases. 



