114 - VENERID. 
curtus for Solenicurtus. he first may signify a vein of the 
rock, and the second some connection with the sole of the 
shoe, or with the Sun, from So/, solis; but there can be no 
mistake in the correct readings Venerirupis and Solenicurtus, 
which emphatically declare, the one, to be a rock Venus, and 
the other, allied to the animal of the Solenes. It may per- 
haps be said, that these are very unnecessary objections ; every 
one knows what is meant. But that is not a sound reason for 
writing incorrectly, when it is as easy, without being too 
fastidious, to have some regard to a just etymology. We may 
add, that if Venerupis is correct, to be consistent, it would be 
necessary for the family of the Veneride to be written Venide. 
It is the continual neglect of these apparent minutiz that has 
brought our nomenclature to its present degraded condition. 
We think, if these points are properly considered, they will be 
admitted to be essential. These observations are not strictly 
my own; I may say, non meus hic sermo; but I have for 
them the high authority of a valued friend, now no more; 
Dr. Goodall, the late Provost of Eton, whose dicta on philo- 
logy few will dispute, and with whom I have had frequent 
conversations on the corrupt position of the nomenclature of 
all the branches of natural history. That learned gentleman, 
from his profound classical ear, was particularly sensitive on 
these points and mispronunciations. I well recollect, when 
chatting together at my house, I pronounced the genus Cythe- 
rea with the accent on the second syllable, when with offended 
ear he thundered forth— 
Parce meti, Cythéréa ; manent immota tuorum. 
And yet, with those who ought to know better, we continually 
hear the word spoken with the accent on the second syllable, 
instead of the penultimate. I am aware, when the island 
Cythera is m question, the accent is long on the second 
syllable— 
..+ +... alta Cythéra,— 
but never in Cythéréa. The reproof I received has made a 
permanent impression, and I have endeavoured to avoid similar 
error. My object in relating this anecdote is to excite the 
