NOMENCLATURE. 97 



When a species is transferred from one genus to another in which there is a 

 species of the same name, the older specific name is retained, and the oldest tenable 

 synonym is adopted for the other form, if there be one ; and if not, a new specific 

 name is proposed. But if the form bearing the prior specific name is transferred 

 to another genus, the original specific name of the later species must be restored, 

 and the new specific name must fall into synonymy. This is the necessary result 

 of the law of priority. 



When a name is published, the author has no more control over it than any 

 other one. He has the same rights, no more and no less, than other naturalists. 



SELECTION OF NAMES AND MODIFICATION. 



The best names are derived from Latin and Greek, and express some distin- 

 guishing characteristic of the object to which they are applied. In palaeontology 

 it is more consistent with practice and uniformity to derive the generic names from 

 Greek and the specific names from Latin; and if the name as proposed exhibits a 

 faulty construction, any naturalist is authorized to correct it. When a wrong gen- 

 der is given to a species by its termination, not agreeing with a genus, it is the duty 

 of a naturalist to correct it. 



When a name derived from a person has not been written according to the 

 real orthography of his name, it may be changed, provided it does not involve the 

 first syllable and thereby disturb the arrangement of indices, tables, catalogues, and 

 dictionaries, in alphabetical order, or interfere with long-established usage. The 

 botanical congress at London, in 1866, refused to change the name Cinchona, named 

 after -the Countess Chincon, because of established usage. In 1866 Hall described 

 Glyptocrinus nealli in honor of O'Neall ; but the name must stand as described, not 

 only because its change would interfere with indices, tables, catalogues, and dic- 

 tionaries, but Hall had the right to construct the specific name nealli as he did, and 

 the fixity of nomenclature will not allow another to change it. Scalaria turtoni, 

 named after Miss Turton, may be changed to S. turtonce; and Viviparus being incon- 

 sistent with itself may be changed to Vivipara, because the change is in the end of 

 the name to conform to the rules of grammar. 



Names of persons are Latinized and not adopted in Greek form, but where en 

 is prefixed or oides or opsis suffixed, one may not be authorized to change it, be- 

 cause the name is not of Latin origin, though it is in very bad taste. Buffoonery 

 has no place in science; hence Latin puns on names, as faba after Mr. Bean, should 

 be rejected in all cases as a poor joke. 



The name of a person must have the termination Latinized, but the specific 

 name can not be composed of the Christian and surname, because it would not be 

 binomial, and can not be made to conform to the rules. Geographical names are 

 eminently fit and suitable when they indicate the locality from which the type was 

 collected. Barbarous names are not in good taste in Palaeontology, though they 

 have been defended in other departments of Natural History. Names expressive of 

 trades and professions are not in good taste. Mythological and historical names are 

 generally in bad taste for specific names, though they have been largely used ; but 

 mythological names for genera have usually been defended. The right to use both 

 is conceded. Names expressive of something else than a character of the fossil, as 

 centennialis for a Hyoliikes are in very bad taste, and sometimes even absurd. Com- 



