914 PRINCIPLES OF STRATIGRAPHY 



have the termination ptrryx (wing); example: Archccopter\x, 

 Megaloptcryx, etc. 



The generic name is ahvays written with an initial capital. 

 Specific names, on the other hand, have the valne of adjectives and 

 should always be written with a small initial letter, even tliough 

 they are derived from proper names. It should be noted, however, 

 that this rule is not universally accepted. 



The gender of the specific name, as expressed in its termination, 

 should agree with that of the generic name. Thus, the specific name 

 in the above examples is iiiiiriaifiis in Productus, which is mascu- 

 line, and viitricota in the other two genera, which a-re feminine. 

 In general, the specific name is derived from the Latin, while all 

 other words are rendered in the Latin form. Names of persons 

 are frequently used for the formation of specific names, an appro- 

 priate termination being added. Geographical names likewise are 

 commonly used for the formation of specific names. The more 

 common terminations of specific names thus derived are : anus, a, nm 

 (pertaining to), as auicricanus, linnccanus : further, eusis, is, c (be- 

 longing to a locality), as cincinnaticiisis, canadensis, cJiicagoensis, 

 kentuckicnsis (final a or e when occurring in the original word is 

 dropped and terminal v changed to ; and, finally, i as halli, 

 knighti, etc., a common termination for names derived from per- 

 sons. Common terminations for names derived from other words 

 are: atus, a, ttiii, as costatus, lobatus, galeatns; forniis, is, e, as 

 tiibiforniis, Uliciformis, etc.; inus, a, um, ex: rugatinus; aides 

 (added only to words derived from the Greek), as discoides, etc., 

 and others. 



Priority and Synonymy (13; 14; 15). Since there is such a 

 vast number of specific names in natural history, and since it often 

 happens that the same species receives distinct names by dififerent 

 authors, owing to ignorance or ignor'ance of each other's works, it 

 is necessary to have a fixed standard by which the name which is 

 to survive is invariably chosen. The standard is priority — the name 

 used in the first description of the species being adopted, even if a 

 later proposed name is more suitable. All later names become 

 synonyms. In certain cases, however, exceptions to this rule are 

 allowed. Thus, if the original description is too poor, so that 

 the true characters of the genus and species cannot be ascertained, 

 a later name, proposed with a better description or illustration, is 

 often accepted. Where a name has long been in general use the 

 discovery of a prior name ought not to overthrow the established 

 usage, especially if the older name has itself come into use for 

 another species. Thus Spirifer mucronatiis has become the widely 



