viii PREFACE. 



even scientific men were frequently not agreed as to the correct pronuncia- 

 tion of many terms which they were constantly using ; indeed, they 

 were not unseldom inconsistent with themselves in the pronunciation of 

 many scientific terms. The endeavour is here made, and it is hoped 

 not unsuccessfully, to settle the pronunciation of terms in regard to 

 which there has hitherto been no certain agreement. Where the 

 pronunciation of a term has been fixed by usage, such of course has 

 been retained. In every case, the analogy of the English language, 

 and the etymology of the term, has been considered in fixing its 

 pronunciation. The student must particularly remember that the 

 symbols ( w ) here employed to indicate English pronunciation 

 regard the quality of the vowel-sounds only, and not quantity, as in 

 Latin and Greek. Hence it often happens that the root-words, or 

 Latin words within the brackets, may have such a symbol as (J) 9 

 while the corresponding syllable in the Latin word, re-spelt for pronun- 

 ciation, may have the symbol (-), and vice versa. 



The student or learner should, in the case of a difficult or uncertain 

 word, enunciate aloud each syllable of the re-spelling, distinctly and 

 firmly, pronouncing each syllable and word repeatedly, always taking 

 care to place a halt or stress on the accents marked thus (' or '). By 

 such practice, the pronunciation of the terms will be well and correctly 

 done ; and repetition, first slowly, and then more rapidly, will tend to 

 fix their pronunciation in the memory. The re-spellings is an important 

 feature in this work, and its importance will readily be seen and 

 understood. The table of sound symbols on page x, should be care- 

 fully studied. 



The root-words or etymologies, and Latin words with literal meanings 

 and their quantities, are placed within brackets. It is of great import- 

 ance to exhibit the primary meanings of the terms by means of root- 

 words, and the simpler forms of Latin terms. A root- word not only 

 exhibits the origin of a particular term, but very frequently supplies 

 a key to the primary meanings of a large number of other related 

 terms. In the case of specific and anatomical terms, the meaning of 

 each Latin word is given clearly and literally. 



In the study of Botany, Anatomy, and Geology, specific names are 

 apt to be misunderstood. At any rate, to the learner and young 

 student, they are often mysterious and puzzling. Accordingly, a con- 

 siderable list of the second names of the binomials, used as specific 

 names, has been given by way of an Appendix, beginning on page 448. 

 In order to smooth the way to many not over familiar with Latin, or 

 entirely ignorant of that language, the list of specific names has been 

 prefaced by a short introduction ; and a considerable number of 

 examples of Latin nouns and adjectives have been declined, marked 

 for pronunciation, and defined. This will be found no less useful 

 to the student in the study of anatomical terms. 



