OF THE HUMAN FAMILY. 21 



grandson of patruus. It will be observed that the term for cousin is rejected in 

 the diagram, as it is, also, in the formal method of the Pandects. He is described 

 as patrui filius, but he was also called a brother patruel, frater patruelis, and 

 among the people at large by the common term for cousin, consobrinus. The second 

 collateral line, female, on the father's side commences with father's sister, amita, 

 paternal aunt ; and her descendants are described according to the same general 

 plan ; thus, amitce filia, paternal aunt's daughter, amitce neptis, paternal aunt's 

 granddaughter, and so on to amitce trineptis, and to amitce trineptis trineptis. In 

 this branch of the line the term for cousin, amitinus, amitina, is also set aside for 

 the formal phrase amitce filia, although the former indicates specifically, by its 

 etymology, this particular one of the four cousins. 1 " Among the people the term 

 consobrinus, consobrina was applied to this cousin, as it was indiscriminately to each 

 of the four. 2 



In accordance with the same general plan the third collateral line, male, on the 

 father's side commences with grandfather's brother, who is styled patruus magnus, 

 or great-uncle. At this point in the nomenclature special terms fail and compounds 

 are resorted to, although the relationship itself is in the concrete, the same as 

 grandfather. It is evident that this relationship was not discriminated until a 

 comparatively modern period. No existing language, so far as this inquiry has 

 been extended, possesses an original or radical term for great-uncle, although 

 without the Roman method the third collateral line cannot be described except by 

 the Celtic. In the Turanian, Malayan, and American Indian forms, where the 

 classification of consanguinei is altogether different, he is a grandfather. If he 

 were called simply grandfather's brother, the phrase would describe a person, leaving 

 the relationship as a matter of implication ; but if great-uncle, it expresses a 

 relationship in the concrete, and becomes equivalent to a specific term. The 

 specialization of this relationship Avas clearly the work of the civilians to perfect a 

 general plan of consanguinity. With the first person in this branch of the line 

 thus made definite as a great-uncle, all of his descendants are referred to him, in 

 their description, as the root of descent ; and the line, the side, whether male or 

 female, and the degree of the relationship of each person, are at once severally and 

 jointly expressed. This line may be extended, in like manner, to the twelfth 

 descendant, which would give for the series patrui magni filius, son of the paternal 

 great-uncle ; patrui magni nepos, grandson of paternal great-uncle ; and thus on 

 to patrui magni trinepotis trinepos, the great-grandson of the great-grandson of 

 putrid magni trinepos, the great-grandson of the great-grandson of paternal great- 

 uncle. The third collateral line, female, on the same side commences with grand- 

 father's sister, who is styled amita magna, or great-aunt ; and her descendants are 

 described in like manner, and with the same effect. 



1 Amitse tuse filii consobrinum te appellant, tu illos amitinos. Inst. Just., Lib. III. tit. vi. ii. 



' Item fratres patrueles, sorores patrueles, id est qui quse-ve ex duobus fratribus progenerantnr ; 

 item consobrini consobrinae, id est qui quae-ve ex duobus sororibus nascflntur (quasi consorini) ; 

 item amitini amitinae, id est qui quse-ve ex fratre et sorore propagantur ; sed fere vulgus istos omncs 

 comrauni appellatione consobrinos vocat. Pand., Lib. XXXVILI. tit. x. 



