100 NOMENCLATURE. 



of the termination ; as, Kentucky, kentuckiensis ; Alleghany, aUeghaniensis ; in accord- 

 ance with classic usage, as Sicily, siciliensis. 



i. The terminination i is to be considered a mere indication of the Latin 

 genitive case, and custom rather than correctness has, in some sense, legalized its 

 addition to any name. In practice, however, it is almost restricted to proper names. 

 Thus we have knighti, littoni, fiemingi, ivesi. 



ieus. This Greek termination implies resemblance, and may be added to 

 common names under the same rules as those given for ensis, except that, in form- 

 ing the word, a vowel is suppressed if it would precede the termination ; thus, Mace- 

 don, macedonicus; Italy (ia), italicw. It is little used, except as an affix to the 

 name of a river or country ; as, euphraticus, anglicua, or in such words as ellipticus. 



eus. This Latin termination has been occasionally employed ; but as it implies 

 " made of," it is evidently seldom, if ever, admissible in palaeontology. The term 

 eboraceiis, from eboracum, the Latin name for York, is a misnomer and should have 

 been eboracensis. 



inus. This termination is applied to both common and proper names. Latin 

 usage restricted its application more than modern scientific practice has done, and 

 applied it mainly to proper names, local terms, and living beings ; as, caninus, 

 alpinus ; but did not sanction such words as rugatinus, sidcatinus, seccdinus, taxinus, 

 and vehdinus. The termination is used subject to the same laws as ensis. 



ites. This termination expresses the fossil nature of the specimen. It is a 

 contraction of 'the Greek word lithos, a stone. In most instances it coalesces with 

 the last vowel of the root. This and long usage in many words, such as Ammoni- 

 ites, Belemnites, Pyrites, have completely established the long i, while the gender 

 is determined by that of the Greek word to be masculine. All specific terms in 

 the genus must, therefore, be of this gender. 



aides. This Greek termination, signifying " like," should be added only to 

 the stems of words of Greek origin. No connecting vowel is necessary. Thus we 

 have dactylos, dactyloides ; discos, discoides. The Latin form oideus obeys the same 

 laws, except the Greek termination is alike in all genders, while the Latin is in- 

 flected as Latin adjectives of similar termination. 



Compound terms. In forming compound terms care should be taken to con- 

 nect them rightly. If an adjective of three terminations, or a noun of the sec- 

 ond Latin declension, composes the first part of the word, either i or o may be 

 employed as a connecting vowel, the choice being largely determined by the ear. 

 Thus sulcomarginatus is better than sulcimarginatus, and crassicaulis than crassocaulis. 

 If the adjective has but one or two terminations, or the noun be of the first, third, 

 or fourth Latin declension, the connecting vowel i should always be employed ; as, 

 tenuislriatus, pinniformis, ilicifolius, retiformis, cornifer. The connecting vowel o is 

 admissible by Greek usage in all declensions; as, Uiodendron, Oydoconcha, Syringo- 

 dendron, Alethopteris, Dictyonema, Dictyopteris, except that where the first part of the 

 word is an adjective ending in ys, it is shorter, and at the same time consonant 

 with classic usage to employ no connecting vowel at all ; thus, pachyderma, 

 euryteines, Platystoma, etc., are better than pachyoderma, euryoteines, Platyostoma, etc. 



