360 Rules for Renderltig the Nomenclature of Zoology Uniform. 



We have endeavored to make them as few and simple as possible, in 

 the hope that they may be the more easily comprehended and adopted 

 by naturalists in general. We are aware that a large number of other 

 regulations, some of which are hereafter enumerated, have been pro- 

 posed and acted upon by various authors who have undertaken the 

 difficult task of legislating on this subject ; but as the enforcement of 

 such rules would, in many cases, undermine the invaluable principle 

 of priority, we do not feel justified in adopting them. At the same 

 time, we fully admit that the rules in question are, for the most part, 

 founded on just criticism, and, therefore, though we do not allow them 

 to operate retrospectively, we are willing to retain them for future 

 guidance. Although it is of the first importance that the principle of 

 priority should be held paramount to all others, yet we are not blind 

 to the desirableness of rendering our scientific language palatable to 

 the scholar and the man of taste. Many zoological terms, which are 

 now marked with the stamp of perpetual currency, are yet so far de- 

 fective in construction, that our inability to remove them, without in- 

 fringing the law of priority, may be a subject of regret. With these 

 terms we can not interfere, if we adhere to the principles above laid 

 down ; nor is there even any remedy, if authors insist on infringing 

 the rules of good taste, by introducing into the science words of the 

 same inelegant or unclassical character in future. But that which 

 can not be enforced by law, may, in some measure, be effected by per- 

 suasion ; and with this view we submit the following propositions to 

 naturalists, under the title of recommendations for (Jie improvement of 

 zoological nomenclature in future. 



The best -names are Latin or Greek characteristic ivords. — The classical 

 languages being selected for zoology, and words being more easily re- 

 membered in proportion as they are expressive, it is self-evident that 



§ A. The best zoological names are those which are dei-ived from the 

 the Latin or Greek, and express some distinguishing characteristic of 

 the object to which they are applied. 



Classes of Objectionable Names. — It follows from hence that the fol- 

 lowing classes of words are more or less objectionable in point of taste, 

 though, in the case of genera, it is often necessary to use them, from 

 the impossibility of finding characteristic words which have not before 

 been employed for other genera. We will commence with those which 

 appear the least open to objection, such as 



a. Geographical names. — These words being for the most part adjec- 

 tives can rarely be used for genera. As designations of species they 

 have been so strongly objected to, that some authors (Wagler, for in- 

 stance) have gone the length of substituting fresh names wherever 



