CAROLUS LINNAEUS IJl 



tive name, preferably derived from classical sources. 

 Thus, all violets were Viola, all slugs Limax. To these 

 designations were added sentences defining the differ- 

 ent sorts belonging to these genera. Lister, writing 

 in 1678, called the common large garden slug Limax 

 cinereus, maximus, striatus et maculatus, which simply 

 means the large gray streaked and spotted slug. In 

 Europe any one at all familiar with slugs would at once 

 recognize the animal, so that the name, if cumbersome, 

 was sufficiently illuminating. It was a name and de- 

 scription all in one. At the timie of Linnaeus many new 

 animals and plants were being discovered and described ; 

 strange creatures were coming from all parts of the 

 world, and it was obviously impossible to find a suffi- 

 ciently illuminating sentence-name to designate each. 

 The method was too cumbersome and too difficult. 

 Therefore Linnaeus proposed a new plan, to retain 

 the genus-name, and add to it a single other word, 

 designating the species. The large slug accordingly 

 became Limax maximus ; the sweet violet, Viola 

 odorata;- the horse, Equus caballus ; and mankind him- 

 self, Homo sapiens (sapiens , wise or knowing). But if 

 the sentence were no longer sufficient to indicate the 

 species clearly, how should the single word suffice? 

 It did not, but when it was first published, it was to be 

 accompanied either by a description or a reference to 

 some previous author who had given a description or 

 figure. The validity and meaning of the -name had to 

 depend on the adequacy of the accompanying data. 

 At the same time, specimens of the species named were 

 to be preserved whenever possible, and would be useful 

 thereafter as evidence. Such specimens we now call 

 types ) and regard them as among the most precious pos- 

 sessions of any museum. 



