. 237. XOMEXCLATUUE. 359 



of the order ; and thus the product is a compound 

 name, which is the Name of the Genus, or the Ge- 

 neric Name. 



The generic name should refer to the natural-historical 

 properties of the genus ; and it should therefore express, as 

 much as possible, some striking feature of its resemblance 

 with other bodies. Such is the name Garnet-blende. The 

 genus, designated by this name, belongs to the order Blende ; 

 the individuals which it contains very often look like garnet. 

 This garnet-like appearance, however, is not a similarity of 

 that kind, upon which the classification of the genus might 

 depend ; besides, this classification must precede both no- 

 menclature (. 240.) and characteristic (. 247-). There 

 can be no doubt, that for the nomenclature of a synthetical 

 system, no better mode of constructing the generic names 

 could be invented. Nomlna generlca^ quce cliaracterem essen- 

 tialcm vcl habit urn (plantce) cxhibcnt, optima sunt. Habitus in- 

 dlcat slmllltudinem, qua excltatur idea, et ex idea nomen. LINN. 

 Phil. Bot. 240. This mode of nomenclature, however, could 

 not be applied to every genus, without introducing a great 

 many new words, which is attended with all kinds of disad- 

 vantages, and must therefore be carefully avoided. On this 

 account, two different methods have been resorted to. In 

 many instances common trivial names have been employed 

 in forming generic names ; in others these names have been 

 derived from a property which is not a natural-historical 

 one. According to the first process were obtained the names 

 of Feld-spar, Augite-spar, Triphane-spar, Disthene-spar, 

 Azure-spar ; according to the second process, Iron-pyrites, 

 Cobalt-pyrites, Lead-glance, M olybdena-glance, Scheelium- 

 bary te, Lead-bary te, and others. The latter of these names 

 really have a chemical sound : but they have in the present 

 place no chemical meaning; and it is only the meaning 

 which must here be taken into consideration. The genera 

 Iron-pyrites, Nickel-pyrites, Cobalt-pyrites, the genera 

 Uranium-ore, Chrome-ore, Manganese-ore, &c. are not 

 assembled because they contain the metals of which they 



