INTRODUCTION. 79 



distlngmshcd leaders of science is very feeble, the 

 ■wholesome restraints of zoological nomenclature have 

 been broken down, and naturalists have created rules 

 for themselves. A multitude of barbarous terms, de- 

 rived from the names of persons and places, have been 

 introduced, outraging in their composition both pro- 

 priety and good taste, inconsistent with the object pro- 

 posed by the establishment of specific names, and sub- 

 versive of the best interests of science. Among the 

 names selected for this distmction are those of some 

 of our most able zoologists, who are worthy of this or 

 of any other honor, but there are many more of col- 

 lectors and amateurs, and of persons totally uncon- 

 nected "with any branch of zoology, who have no claims, 

 except that of the partiahty of friends, to be placed 

 in such association. The temple has even been dese- 

 crated by the money-changers, and the names of shell- 

 dealers and petty hucksters have been admitted to the 

 same honors as those of Wilson and of Say. The 

 indiscrimmate use of these names defeats the intentions 

 of those who apply them. An honor which is so com- 

 mon as to be borne by every one, ceases to be an honor, 

 and persons of general celebrity as naturahsts, can- 

 not feel themselves flattered by being classed in the 

 same rank with the numerous unloiown persons with 

 whom they are thus associated. Besides, to give the 

 intended compliment any value, the reader must be told 

 to whom the author intends to offer it ; and thus spe- 

 cific descriptions, besides comprising the characters 



