How to K?iow American Seashells 87 



for many years, and its subsequent discovery will "knock out" one which 

 has been in use for a long time. Thus about thirty years ago the whelk 

 genus Fiilgur Lamarck 1799 was abandoned for Busycojt Roding 1798. The 

 same fate may be met by well-known species. Thus Busy con pyruin Dillwyn 

 1817 now becomes B. spirata Lamarck 181 6. It is believed that "rock bot- 

 tom" will be reached some day, so that few, if any, further changes will 

 occur. Nevertheless, it is with considerable regret that I change a number 

 of familiar names in this book. 



Occasionally, certain names are conserved or "frozen" by the Com- 

 mission if they are well-established and are in danger of being replaced by 

 an earlier but obscurely known name. The following marine genera of 

 mollusks are on the conserved list: Aplysia, Area, Argonauta, Buccinum, 

 Bulla, Calyptraea, Cohnnbella, Dentalhnn, Mactra, Modiolus, Mya, Alytihis, 

 Neritina, Ostrea, Sepia, Spirula, Teredo. Many others, including very 

 familiar species names, need to be added to this list. There are many tech- 

 nical refinements to nomenclature, and those interested in such matters are 

 referred to Procedure in Taxonomy by Schenk and McMasters (Stanford 

 University Press). 



Pronunciatioji of scientific names. There is no official pronunciation 

 established for names, and for certain words it may vary from one county 

 to another. Many pronunciations not based on classical rules have become 

 established and passed on from generation to generation. A few examples, 

 classical or not, are given below: 



Oliva (all-eeva), EuJima (you-lee-mah), Chiton (kite-on), Chama 

 (kam-ah), Chione (kigh-own-ee), Cypraea (sip-ree-ah), Cyphoma (sigh- 

 fo-mah), versicolor (ver-sik-o-lor said quickly). Busy con (boos-eekon), 

 ]anthina (yan-theena), Xenophora (zen-off-fora), gigas (rhymes with "jibe 

 gas": )i-gas), conch (konk), radula (rad-you-lah), operciihim (oh-perk- 

 you-lum), smithi (smith-eye), ruthae (rooth-ee). The pronunciations of 

 some of the authors are: Linne (lin-ay) or sometimes Linnaeus (lin-ee-us), 

 Gould (goold), Deshayes (desh-ayz), Orbigny (or-bee-nee), Gmelin (mell- 

 an), Bruguiere (broo-gui-air), Kiener (keen-er), Mighels (my-els), Cou- 

 thouy (koo-thoo-ee). 



Cominon abbreviations of names of ivell-known authors. Although 

 most popular and scientific books spell in full the names of authors of sci- 

 entific designations, a large number of articles and most museum labels bear 

 only abbreviations. For this reason, a short list of frequently seen examples 

 is included: 



A. Ads. — A. Adams B. and S. — Broderip and Sowerby 



A. and H. — Alder and Hancock Brod. — Broderip 



Ag. — Aguayo Brug. — Bruguiere 



Btsch.— Bartsch C. B. Ad.— C. B. Adams 



