78 Frederic E. Clements 



The vernacular name has long been the refuge of the unlet- 

 tered or indifferent systematist, and will doubtless continue to 

 be while there are biologists of this kind. The arguments 

 against the use of vernacular terms are so obvious and cogent 

 that they would not be dwelt upon were it not for the contra- 

 dictory provisions of the Paris Code. As in so many other 

 questions of nomenclature, Linne's pronouncement should have 

 been regarded as final by the framer of the Code. But, as in 

 more than one place, the Code admits a fatal exception. It is 

 absurd to base biological nomenclature in any degree upon books 

 of travel, and it is futile to think that an author who speaks 

 any vernacular tongue whatever, no matter how crude and un- 

 couth, would find it either harsh or disagreeable. Some biolo- 

 gists have endeavored to improve vernacular names by shorten- 

 ing them or by adding a Latin suffix, but such a remedy is worse 

 than the original trouble. Correction by translation, as Chenan- 

 thus for Gansblum, is occasionally possible, and in such cases 

 might be more fortunate than the rejection of a name. The 

 fundamental fact still remains, however, that nomenclature is 

 already essentially classical, and should in the future be made 

 completely so. Vernacular names have no place in it. This 

 condition can be made to prevail only by rejecting all such names 

 whether past or future. 



Anagrams, if they be considered words at all, are vernacular, 

 since they are neither Greek nor Latin. They are the ultimate 

 product of puerility or illiteracy in nomenclature. Such a series 

 as Filago, Gifola, Ifloga, Logfia, and Oglifa throws a clear light 

 upon the good sense and linguistic taste of the authors con- 

 cerned. One might better make names after the fashion of Car- 

 roll, or take names from the "hog-Latin" of childhood. All 

 other mutilations, like anagrams, are unpardonable offenses 

 against nomenclature, and are to be summarily rejected. 

 I. Anagrams. 



Alibum (Liabum) Behuria (Hubera) 



Amida (Madia) Beriesia (Siebera) 



Anogra (Onagra) Blitrydium (Tryblidium) 



Baziasa (Sabazia) Galpinsia (Salpingia) 



78 



