Vol. XVIII, pp. 191-196 September 2, 1905 



PROCEEDINGS 



OF THE /^ 



BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 



SUGGESTIONS FOR THE NOMENCLATURE OF THE 



CRANIAL LENGTH MEASUREMENTS AND OF 



THE CHEEK-TEETH OF MAMMALS. 



BY OLDFIELD THOMAS. 



Although various reasons prevent the general success of such 

 a wholesale revolution in scientific terms as is described in 

 Wilder and Gage's Anatomical Technology (1882), where the 

 many arguments in favor of accurate nomenclature are admira- 

 bly put forth, yet in various corners of science improvements 

 can be suggested which, if the workers are willing and in touch 

 with each other, may be a real help in reducing the inconvenience 

 of the loose or clumsy terminology commonly in vogue. 



Two such suggestions, due largely to the instigation of Vlx. 

 Gerrit S. Miller, -Ir., form the subject of the present paper. 



I. Lkn(;th Measukements of the Skull and Palate. 



In giving the length measurement of the skull, not only do 

 different authors at present use different measurements in de- 

 scrilnng the skulls of similar or related animals, but in doing so 

 they designate these measurements ])y terms of which it is often 

 difficult or impossible to make out the exact meaning. Such a 

 name as " l»asal length " has I l)elieve been used by one person 

 or another for almost every one of the measurements to be here- 



34— Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. XVIH, l'J05. (191) 



