NOMENCLATURE. 145 



have been accustomed to this admirable contrivance in their re- 

 spective departments, are referred to the system of Prof. Mobs, 

 where they will find the fullest satisfaction upon this subject.* 



. 116. TRIVIAL NOMENCLATURE. 



The trivial nomenclature has for its object merely the 

 denomination of objects. 



It is no part of the trivial nomenclature to indicate the connexion 

 which exists among the objects named. Unlike the denominations 

 in the systematic nomenclature, which are composed of several 

 words made up of the names of the order, genus, and species, to 

 which minerals belong, the names in the trivial nomenclature rest 



* For the sake of those readers who may not find it convenient to con- 

 sult the work above alluded to, it may be proper to observe, that the 

 order is the highest idea expressed in the nomenclature of Mobs ; and 

 that in the selection of the names of his orders, he has invented but two 

 new words, having employed the terms used in ancient mineralogy. 

 The names receive their signification in agreement with the ideas of the 

 orders; thus Pyrites embraces the minerals hitherto called by that name. 

 Mica signifies a mineral which may be cleaved with facility into thin, 

 shining laminae ; the order Mica, therefore, contains only such species 

 as present cleavage in an eminent degree. The name of the genus 

 is compound, formed by connecting another word with the name of 

 the order: thus, we have Lead- Glance, Jlugite-Spar, Iron-Pyrites, 

 fyc. The generic name also refers to the properties of the genus, and 

 expresses as much as possible, some striking feature of its resemblance 

 to other bodies. Such is the name Garnet-Blende. The genus thus 

 designated belongs to the order Blende ; the individuals which it con- 

 tains very often look like Garnet. The denomination of the species is pro- 

 duced through the nearer restriction of the generic name by an adjective. 

 The adjective by which the species is designated within its genus, is one 

 descriptive of its natural properties; and in general, refers to one of those 

 properties of the species which is most useful in distinguishing it from 

 other species of the same genus: hence, the systems of crystallization, 

 and the relations of cleavage, are the most frequently employed ; exam- 

 ples of which are, Hexahedral, Prismatic, Rhombohedral Iron-Pyrites ; 

 Rhombohedral, Octahedral, Dodecahedral, Prismatic Iron-ore, fyc. 



13 



