689 



that of Ranunculus hederaceus and Ranunculus Lenorraandi — as- 

 suming these to be couplets, respectively, of two good species. 



But it is not proper, and is very unnecessary, to follow the example 

 of those species- makers who so eagerly pounce upon any variety, 

 howsoever trifling, which falls under their ken, and " raise it to the rank 

 of a species." Their course is thus : — All intermediate and connect- 

 ing links are studiously left out of view, a specific character is con- 

 cocted from the peculiarites observable in the extreme forms, a new 

 name is invented, and the species is " made " — in words. So utterly 

 indifferent to reality and truthfulness, are some of our great species- 

 makers, that they will act similarly, although in possession of only 

 solitary or imperfect specimens of the " new species. " And some of 

 them will even coolly inform us (after the untenableness of their pre- 

 tended species has been rendered too apparent for the longer conti- 

 nuance of them in books) that they were described for species simply 

 in order " to draw attention to them." As if the only or proper way 

 of drawing attention to varieties, were that of designedly misleading 

 other botanists, in the question of their specific distinctness or indis- 

 tinctness, and of thus loading our books with unnecessary and trouble- 

 some synonyms. 



In numerous instances, changes are made in the old-established 

 generic names of plants, the specific names being retained ; although, 

 in nine cases out of ten, such generic changes are uncalled for, and 

 really serve no purpose more useful than that of gratifying the per- 

 sonal vanity of the botanist who makes them. By thus coining a 

 fi-esh generic name for the plant, the botanist is enabled to substitute 

 also an abbreviation of his own surname, as the authority for the spe- 

 cies, instead of that of the person who originally described the species. 

 Thus by substituting the new generic name of " Serrafalcus," in place 

 of " Bromus," a notoriety-seeking botanist was enabled to erect him- 

 self into the authority for some species of the latter newly made genus ; 

 and through this charge, the familiar " Bromus mollis, Linn.'''' becomes 

 a " Serrafalcus mollis, Pari.'''' Even the simple adoption of these 

 new generic names will frequently answer the same end ; because 

 they can still be applied to other species of the original genus, by him 

 who only adopts the new generic name. By so doing, he also is en- 

 abled to substitute an abbreviation of his own surname as the authority 

 for these other species, and to discard that of an earlier describer of 

 the same plants. It is not wished to give offence to one of our best 

 English botanists, in suggesting that the opportunity for substituting 

 " Serrafalcus secalinus, Bab.'''' instead of " Bromus secalinus, Linn^ 



