iv INTRODUCTION. 



their specific characters or descriptions. This increased with the 

 progress of research and the number of describers, but it need 

 not necessarily have done so. In early times there were few 

 who gave their attention to natural science : and up to the sera 

 of Linnfeus, when the binomial nomenclature had its origin, 

 we have not to record much synonymy, but have merely to trace 

 the local, or sometimes barbarous names by which animals or 

 plants were noticed in the older voyages and travels, or by the 

 few authors who attempted to describe them separately. As, 

 however, the love for these pursuits increased, and the interest 

 which their study imparted became more real, when taken in 

 connexion with the arts and our commercial and manufacturing- 

 relations, new objects continually occurred which required 

 names ; and if no old designation was discovered, a new one was 

 applied. This would have been quite legitimate, had all means 

 to find out whether the object referred to was ever previously 

 named, been exhausted ; but this was not done, and synonymy 

 consequently floui'ished. 



The causes of this great increase are of a twofold nature ; 

 the one almost beyond the control of the individual, the other 

 depending on his own carelessness or pride. Many observers 

 find some object exceedingly beautiful or curious ; they cannot 

 make it out, and do not like the trouble of inquiring for and 

 examining the works that relate to it, and a new name is at once 

 applied, which saves all further trouble to them. Others, again, 

 do examine and find out what they are in search of, but they at 

 the same time discover something faulty in the previous name ; 

 — it is badly compounded ; it is not applicable to the species ; it 

 is too like some other name ; it is used in some other branch of 

 science ; in short, they wish to apply a name of their own, the 

 old one is discarded, and an addition made to our already long 

 list. New names, given under circumstances such as these, are, 

 we fear, the most numerous, and are certainly the most to be 

 regretted : others arise from causes also to be regretted, but 

 where individual blame cannot in the same way be attached. 

 Many excellent observers labour abroad, and have a large know- 

 ledge of their subject; but at a distance from all positive infor- 

 mation, they append names to their specimens sent home, often 

 with instructions that these are only provisionally given with 



