NAMES. 1 7 



Bacli mollusk lias two names — that of the species or 

 kind, which is written last, and that of the genus 

 or group, which is written first, and which always 

 begins with a capital letter. This generic name, as 

 it is called, is a noun; while the specific name, or 

 name of the species, is an adjective, and agrees with 

 its noun in gender, according to the Latin standard. 

 It may begin with either a capital or a small letter ; 

 with a capital, if it is derived from a proper name, 

 otherwise, with a small letter. Some writers allow 

 no capitals in specific names. Sometimes, instead of 

 a proper adjective, the genitive form of the proper 

 noun is used, signifying possession. The whole name 

 strictly applies to the entire, living mollusk ; but it is 

 also used in reference to the empty shell. 



To the specific name is added the name or initials 

 of the naturalist who first applied that name to the 

 species. These initials are added so that it may be 

 easy to refer to the original specimen or description, 

 if it is necessary to identify the shell beyond all doubt. 



The name of the species shown in Fig. i is Chryso- 

 domus dirus^ Rve. , Kri-so-do'-mus di^-rus. Near the 

 close of the book you will find a brief sketch of Mr. 

 Reeve, as well as of other naturalists who have given 

 names to our species. It is an honorable list. Many 

 of these men struggled bravely to obtain their knowl- 

 edge, and they present worthy models for our imita- 

 tion. Even in the hard names of shells the human 

 element is present, and the initials of such men as 

 Gould and Carpenter are a constant inspiration to one 

 who knows something of their worthy lives. I trust 

 the brief accounts given of these men may incite you 

 to learn more of their histor\', and to study their 

 writings with renewed zeal. 



