350 M. Ciivier on Generic Karnes in Natural History. 



" Je conseille neanmoins, quand on nommera les especes, de 

 n'employer que le substantif du grand geni'e, et le nom tri- 

 vial. Les nonis de sous-genres ne sont destinees qu'a soula- 

 ger la memoire, quand on voudra indiquer ces subdivisions 

 en particulier. Autrement, comme les sous-genres, deja tres 

 multiplies, se multiplieront beaucoup plus par la suite, a force 

 d'avoir des substantifs a retenir continuellement, on sera ex- 

 pose a perdre les avantages de cette nomenclature binaire, si 

 heureusement imaginee par Linnaeus. 



" C'est pour la mieux consacrer, que j'ai demembre le moins 

 qu'il m'a cte possible les grands genres de cet illustre refor- 

 mateur de la science. Toutes les fois que les sous-genres dans 

 lesquels je les divise n'ont pas du aller a des families differentes, 

 je les ai laisses ensemble sous leur ancien nom generique. 

 C'etait non seulement un egard que je devais a la memoire de 

 Linnaeus, mais c'etait aussi une attention necessaire pour con- 

 server la tradition et I'intelligence mutuelle des naturalistes 

 des differents pays." 



[The importance which must be attached to the opinion of 

 M. Cuvier on the subject of our correspondent's letter, in- 

 duces us to take the liberty of subjoining a translation of the 

 passage quoted. — Ed.] 



" I have unfortunately been obliged to introduce many new 

 names, although I have made it a great object of attention to 

 preserve those of my predecessors ; but the numerous sub- 

 genera which I have established required these denominations ; 

 for in things so varied, the memory is not satisfied with 

 numerical indications. I have chosen them, either so as to in- 

 dicate some character, or from the common appellations which 

 I have Latinized, or lastly, according to the example of Lin- 

 naeus, among the names of mythology, which are in general 

 agreeable to the ear, and which are far from being exhausted. 



" I nevertheless advise, when species are mentioned, that the 

 substantive of the grand genus only should be made use of, and 

 the trivial name. The names of sub-genera are only intended 

 to relieve the memory, in those cases in which it is wished to 

 indicate these subdivisions in jiarticular. Otherwise, as the 

 sub-genera, already very numerous, will become much more 

 so in course of time, — in consequence of having substantives 

 continually to remember, — we should be exposed to the loss of 

 the advantages of that twofold nomenclature so happily con- 

 trived by Linnaeus. 



" It is in order the better to preserve it sacred, that I have 

 dismembered in the least degree that I possibly could the great 

 genera of that illustrious reformer of science. In all cases 



in 



