DETERMINATION OF GENERIC TYPES, ETC. 33 



There seem to be few principles in nomenclature which are inher- 

 ently more sensible than this one. Further, this canon corresponds 

 with the historic development of not an inconsiderable number of 

 generic names. Many groups originally recognized as of specific value 

 by earlier authors have been elevated to generic rank and the original 

 specific name has been taken as the generic name. Mephitis mephitis, 

 Putorius putorius, and Trutta trutta, represent familiar examples. 

 Among the trematodes, ffeterophyes heterophyes, is known. In these 

 combinations, the words putorius, trutta, and heterophyes, in addition 

 to being specific names, practically mean Putorius par excellence, 

 Trutta par excellence, Heterophyes par excellence, which expressions 

 carry with them the idea of " type species." 



As other cases of this kind may be mentioned: Anhinga anhinga, 

 Bison bison, Buteo buteo, Cardinalis cardinalis, Coturnix coturnix, 

 Crex crex, Glis glis, Gulo gulo, Histrionicus hwtrionicus, Lutra lutra, 

 Meles meles, etc. 



Many earlier authors were opposed to tautonymic names, and on 

 this account a new specific name was introduced when an old specific 

 name was raised to generic rank. Thus, Cobbold was evidently influ- 

 enced by this opposition, enunciated in the Stricklandian Code, when 

 he changed the name Distoma heterophyes to ffeterophyes segyptiaca. 

 Diesing, wishing to recognize a distinct genus for Oxyuris allodapa, 

 was evidently influenced by the same view when he named the genus 

 Allodapa, adopting typica as specific name. 



While- Oobbold was opposed to tautonymy, he did not follow the 

 rule of the Stricklandian Code as to the manner in which tautonymy 

 should be avoided. 



In later years, tautonymy is admitted as permissible, and some 

 authors, in fact, deliberately proposed tautonymic combinations. It 

 certainly has its advantages. Personally we strongly favor the inten- 

 tional formation of tautonyms, as such combinations aid in recalling 

 the type species. 



It seems that the principle of type by tautonymy must have been in 

 the minds of the framers of the B. A. Code when they wrote: "A 

 specific name, or its synonyms, will also often serve to point out the 

 particular species which by implication must be regarded as the orig- 

 inal type of the genus." It was definitely formulated in the German 

 and English recommendations of the Committee's report on the Inter- 

 national Code (see above, pp. 15, 23). It has also been formally adopted 

 by a number of prominent systematists (see Science, N. Y., n. s., v. 16, 

 114r-115, July 18, 1902), particularly in vertebrate zoology. We unre- 

 servedly declare in favor of its consistent adoption. 

 6328 No. 7905 3 



