Mules for Zoological Nomenclature, 175 



A new species must have a name new to the genus. (Swain- 

 son.) 



9. It is desirable, but not essential, that a name should have 

 an etymological meaning. (See Mag. Nat. Hist., Vol. VIII. 

 p. 36.; and "Vol. I. p. 129. n. s.) 



10. Names should be taken either from the Latin or Greek 

 languages. (Swai?ison.) 



An exception may, however, be made in favour of species called by their 

 names which are current in their native countries ; such as Coturnix ar- 

 goondah, and Halicora dugong. Such names are of great use in identify- 

 ing species. 



11. The meaning of a name must imply some proposition 

 which is true as applied to the object which it represents. 



12. Names must not be borrowed from mythological, divine,, 

 historical, or moral terms. (Willdenow, Swainson.) 



This is a good general rule, but admits of exceptions. (See Swainson's 

 Birds, p. 233.) 



13. Names should not be too long, even though classically 

 compounded. (Swainson. ) 



14. The meaning of names should be founded on absolute 

 characters, not on relative or comparative ones. 



15. The name of a species or group should be taken 

 from those characters which are most essential and dis- 

 tinctive, and not from such as belong equally to other cognate 

 groups. 



B. Bates whicfi apply to particular Cases. 



16. The names of tribes, families and subfamilies, should 

 each have a distinctive termination. (Swai?iso?i.) 



Tn consequence of the multiplicity of scientific terms, it is always desi- 

 rable to assist the memory by indirect means, when it can be done without 

 infringing the laws of nomenclature. In the case of genera and species, 

 however, it is impossible to give a distinctive termination ; and in that of 

 classes and orders it is unnecessary, for they are so few, that the memory 

 does not require this assistance. (See Swainson, p. 230.) 



17. In zoology, genera should not be named after indU. 

 viduals. (Guilding, Wood.) 



As this practice has prevailed in botany, it is better to avoid it in 

 zoology, and thus afford an additional aid to the memory. 



18. The names of families and subfamilies should be de- 

 rived from the most typical genus in them. (Swainson.) 



19. Generic names should, in general, be compounded of 

 Greek words, and specific of Latin. 



There seems no other reason for this, than that, as this practice has pre- 

 vailed to a considerable extent, it serves to aid the memory. 



o 4 



