428 On Nomenclature. 



of order Prensiculantia is named Macropoda. Families of 

 Volitantia are named, 1. Dermoptera, 2. Chiroptera. 



2. No one in his senses will adopt primitive or local names 

 (as being barbarous, and conveying no meaning even to those 

 who are generally learned) for generic distinctions. Yet he 

 retains Tapir Tapirus, Cavia, and Manis ; the latter word, 

 if of Greek derivation, should be Maniax or Maniakes, 

 twisted or involved as a necklace or bracelet. The name 

 may, perhaps, have, as well as Pangolin, an African or East 

 Indian origin. 



3. Generic names, not derived from the Greek and Latin 

 languages, are to be rejected. Yet see the note above. His 

 genera have all Greek names. 



4. Hybrid names, composed parti}' of Greek and partly 

 of Latin term?, should not be admitted ; as Hydro-Gallina, 

 and formerly Monoculus. 



5. It is generally convenient to adopt one alphabet, and 

 give Latin orthography ; even in names of Greek origin, as 

 Chiromys, &c. 



6. Names composed of maimed words, or where half of one 

 word is tacked to another preserved entire, are to be rejected : 

 as Gallo-pavo (Brisson) ; Melursus (Meyer), a badger-like 

 bear, called by Shaw Bradypus ursinus, in Manuel de Mam- 

 malogie U'rsus labiatus. 



7. A generic name is a bad one, which merely adds a syl- 

 lable to another generic or specific name, or takes away a 

 syllable in the like manner : as Antilo-capra, Antilochevre 

 Blainville, Perameles (probably from pera, a pouch, quasi, 

 peratus, or peram gei'ens ; and meles, Lat., a badger), Pro- 

 merops (merops Gr., with divided mouth ; pro, prce, before 

 or beyond others), Turnix (slightly distinguished from Co- 

 turnix the Latin specific name for the quail of Europe), the 

 Co being removed without any etymological authority. 



8. Generic names are to be condemned which are composed 

 of other generic names with arbitrary change of the last 

 syllable of either ; as Balaenoptera, for Balae^na and aptera 

 (wanting the dorsal fin); Delphinapterus, non pinnatus 

 Delphinus ; Picathartes, Pica and Cathartes, a species of 

 vulture. 



9. Names with terminations in oi'des should be discarded. 

 They refer to general undefined similitude, which may not 

 be apparent to all observers ; and the names commonly begin 

 with one language and end with another, e. g., Pelicanoides, 

 Picoides, Talpoides. 



10. Where one and the same generic name shall be found 



