26 ZOOLOGICAL PHILOSOPHY 



perpetual alterations of genera, which multiply synonymy, overburden 

 nomenclature, and make the study of these sciences difiScult and 

 disagreeable. 



When will naturalists agree to abide by general principles for uniform 

 guidance in the constitution of genera, etc., etc. ? The natural 

 affinities, which they recognise among the objects which they have 

 brought together, mislead them nearly all into the belief that their 

 genera, families, orders and classes actually exist in nature. They 

 do not notice that the good series which they succeed in forming 

 by study of affinities do in truth exist in nature, for they are large 

 or small parts of her order, but that the lines of demarcation which 

 they are obliged to set up at intervals do not by any means so exist. 



Consequently, genera, families, sections of various kinds, orders 

 and even classes are in truth artificial devices, however natural may 

 be the series which constitute these different groups. No doubt they 

 are necessary and have an obvious and indispensable utility ; but if 

 the advantages, which these devices bring, are not to be cancelled 

 by constant misuse, the constitution of every group must be in accord- 

 ance with principles and rules that naturalists once for all have agreed 

 to follow. 



Nomenclature. — We come now to the sixth of the artificial devices 

 which have to be employed in natural science. By nomenclature 

 is meant the system of names assigned either to special objects, 

 such as a race or a species, or to groups of these objects, such as a 

 genus, family or class. 



Now nomenclature is confined to the names given to species, genera, 

 families and classes. It has therefore to be distinguished from that 

 other artificial device called technology, which refers solely to the 

 denominations applied to the parts of natural bodies. 



" All the discoveries and observations of naturalists would 

 necessarily have fallen into oblivion and been lost to society, if the 

 objects observed and determined had not each received a name to serve 

 as a recognition mark when speaking of them or quoting them." 

 {Did. de Botanique, art. "Nomenclature.") 



It is quite clear that nomenclature in natural history is an artificial 

 device, and is a means that we have to resort to for fixing our ideas in 

 the sphere of natural observed productions, and to enable us to pass 

 on either these ideas or our observations on the objects concerned. 



No doubt this artificial device should like the others be controlled 

 by settled rules that are generally adhered to ; but I am bound to 

 remark that its universal misuse, of which complaints are so justly 

 made, arises principally from extrinsic causes which daily increase 

 also in the other artificial devices already named. 



