192 NOMEXCLATVRE OF SCTMNVS—GILL. vol. xviii. 



V. 



In 1850 Gray revived the name DnlaUas for the Scymui, on the ground 

 of priority for the former and iiot because Scymnus was preoccupied. 



VI. 



I conclude that Balatias was to all intents and purposes a pure 

 synonym of Sijuahis, and the addition of a species of another genus 

 was surely insuflftcient to affect its character. Seym n us would therefore 

 have been available as the first independent name of the shark genus, 

 so called, had it not been already used. Under the circumstances, how- 

 ever, DalaUas might have been revived with the moditied sense attrib- 

 uted to it by Gray, if its revival had not been precluded by other con 

 siderations. But the previous limitation of Balatias by Swaiuson and 

 substitution of a new name by Bonaparte barred such revival. The 

 name given by Bonaparte must therefore be used for the Scymni of 

 Cuvier. 



VI J. 



The following synonymy will give other data respecting the names 

 referred to : 



Genus SC YMNORHINUS. 



<^Les Leichcs (Scymnns), Cuvier, Regne Aniirial, II, p. 130, 1817; 2il ed., II, p. 



392. 1829 (not of Kugehnaiin, 1794). 

 <:^Scjfm.)iorhinus, I?onaparte, Cat. Met. Pesci Enropei, p. 16, 1846. 

 <^Dalatias, Gray, List Fishes Biit. Mns., I, p. 75, 1851. 



We may congratulate ourselves that such a barbarous compound as 

 Balatias (of unknown formation) need not be used. Scymnorhinushas 

 the merit of being of classical origin and correct formation, although 

 meaningless' as a denominator of generic characteristics. 



Vlll. 



The change of the generic name entails a corresponding cliange in 

 the name of the family of which the genus is the type. The nomencla- 

 ture of that family is summarized in the following synonymy: 



Family SOMNIOSID.E. 



<^Abtbeilniii; der Haitische, Mt'LLER aud Hent.e, Arcliiv Naturgescb., 3. .labrg., 



I, p. 39!), 1837. 

 <Fourth division of Sharks, MfLi.EU aud IIenlk, Mag. Nat. Hist., n.s.. II, 



p. 88, 1838. 

 <lSci/iitni, MuLLER and Henle, Syst. I'.eschreib. Plagiostomeu, p. -91, 1841. 

 <^Sci/mnidw, Adams, Man. Nat. Hist., p. 89, 1854. 

 <lSc!i7nni(l(i', Richardson, Encycl. Brit., 8th ed., XIT, p. 325, 1856. 

 <CSc!imnoidei, Bleeker, Enum. Sp. Piscium Archipel. Indico, p. xii, 1859. 



' Scyinnorhinns <^aK{)/j.voc, cub or whelp -{-'pivri, shark. Why Sci/mniis was iipplud 

 to beetles is not evident; it may have been given in alhision to their small size. 



