320 LINN^US AND THE JUSSIEUS 



ridiculed the prolix names then frequent, and had 

 shown that a name of two words at most, the first 

 being the generic name and the second a qualifying 

 adjective, would suffice to denote any species.^ Linnaeus 

 further regulated the usage to be employed,^ and his 

 authority won universal acceptance for the much -needed 

 reform. 



The three Equidse then known are thus defined in 

 the Sy sterna Natures : — " Cahallus, Cauda undique 

 setosa. Asinus. Cauda extremitate setosa, cruce nigra 

 supra humeros. Zebra. Fasciis fuscis versicolor." Note 

 the terseness which Linnaeus gains by dropping all the 

 verbs. ^ The extreme conciseness of Linnaeus is not in 

 this instance possible to the modern zoologist, who has 

 at least seven recent Equidse to consider, besides a long 

 series of finely graded fossil forms. 



The description of the habits of the cuckoo is a 

 characteristic example of the Latin style of Linnaeus. 

 " Coccyx, incubandi ipse impotens, semper parit in 

 alienis nidis, imprimis in Motacillse, majori ex parte 

 singula ova, aufuratis prioribus ; educat subditum adul- 

 terato foeta nido et sequitur nutrix fidelissima mensibu 

 sestatis pulcherrimis frond escentise, florescentise, grossifi 

 cationis, dum ille aridis insidens arborum ramis famelicu; 

 semper cuculans advocat nutricem, donee sub ort 

 caniculse ingratus eam occidat devoretque, unde orbui 

 victitet rapina Avicularum Larvisque Brassicae aliarum- 

 que ; non tamen in Falconem transformatur." The 

 Latinity of Linnaeus is very likely as strange to the 

 classical scholar as the old fables cited in this quotation 



^ When the genus included but one species, Rivinus thought that the 

 generic name by itself would suflfice, but on this point he was overruled 

 by Linnaeus. 



^ Philosophia Botanicay 1751. 



2 Ray adopts the same practice, but not uniformly. 





