8 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 73 



Mueller's fourth species was Bulinus scnegalcnsis defined by a reference to 

 Adanson, 1757, Hist. Senegal, Hist, des Coquillages, p. 5, pi. i. He also states 

 that "Adaiison erf and ihr eincn neuen Geschlechtsnamen (Bulinus)." Obviously, 

 therefore, Adanson's Bulinus becomes type of Bulinus by absolute tautonymy ^ 

 Otherwise the name Bulinus Mueller, 1781, would supersede Pliysa Draparnaud, 

 1801, a name very widely used and universally accepted. 



The status of Bulinus Mueller has been discussed by Von Martens," who ac- 

 cepted Physa jontinalis as its type, but refused to substitute Bulinus for Physa. 

 Later, Dall ^ went over the ground, reaching a conclusion which we accept with- 

 out reserve. Finally Kennard and Woodward * considered the question, con- 

 cluding that Mueller's "adoption of Adanson's name {Bulinus) involves the 

 acceptance of his shell as the type of the genus. Since, however, that is inde- 

 terminate, this post-Linnean revival of the name is rendered nugatory. But for 

 that, Bulinus Mueller would have precedence of Physa Draparnaud, 1801." 



This conclusion seems to us incorrect in at least two statements. Adanson's 

 species has been determined. It was defined very well, and with specimens from 

 the type locality, no zoologist should go astray in its identification. Its accep- 

 tance does not displace Physa, but on the contrary, if it were to be thrown out 

 as indeterminate, then Bulinus would take the place of Physa having Physa 

 jontinalis as its type. The International Rules expressly exclude indeterminate 

 species [or, rather, species inquirendae from the standpoint of the author of the 

 generic name at the time of its publication. — C. W. S.] from consideration in 

 the selection of genotypes. 



Bulinus came into general use for the group under consideration and is to be 

 found in the most widely used systematic works on general conchology, such 

 as H. and A. Adams, Genera of Recent Mollusca; Tryon, Structural and Syste- 

 matic Conchology; Fischer, Manuel de Conchyliologie, and others. 



The new name (or emended spelling) Bullinus originated with Oken, 181 5, 

 and in recent years has been taken up by several authors. Oken's work was a 

 mere compilation from Mueller ; only the same species were mentioned. The 

 revival of Oken's name for the group was apparently due to the fact that Adan- 

 son, being pre-Linnean, could not properly be quoted for the genus, and to 

 ignorance of the prior work of Mueller. Bidlinus Oken, according to the Rules 

 of the International Commission, is an absolute synonym of Bulinus Mueller.^ 



Discussion. — The following facts (a, b) may be noted in regard 

 to the derivation of the names : 



(a) Bulinus Mueller, 1781. — Adanson, 1757, p. 5, states: 



Le Bulin, Bulinus. PI. i. Je donne le nom de Bulin a un petit coquillage d'eau 

 douce, qui vit communement sur la lentille de marais, et sur le lemma, dans les 

 marais et les etangs de Podor. Cette denomination m'a paru lui convenir par- 



' This conclusion is based upon the International Code of Zoological Nomen- 

 clature, Art. sod, and Opinions 16 and 18. 



" 1898, in P. and F. Sarasin, Materialien z. Naturg. Insel Celebes, Die Suss- 

 wiisser-Moll., p. 83. 



^ 1905, Harriman Alaska Fxped., Land and Fresh-Water Moll., p. 105. 



'' 1920, Proc. Malac. Soc. Lond., vol. 14, pp. 86-88. 



^ The combination " Bullinus Adanson " used by some authors is ruled out 

 because it is erroneous — Adanson never used " Bullinus " — and because a pre- 

 Linnean author is not quotable as authority for generic or specific names. 



