A LIST OF THE GENERA AND FAMILIES OF MAMMALS. 45 
Words taken from modern languages are still fewer in number. 
From the French have been derived such names as Feresa, Genetta, 
Grampus, Guepardus, Muscardinus, Noctula, Palmista, Phalanger 
(originally from the Greek), Rangifer, Ratelus, Rorqual, Rousettus, 
Sagoinus, Sarigua, Tatusia, Vampyrus, and Verrusus; from the Italian 
Foina, Lontra, Pipistrellus, and Zibellina; from the Spanish CAzn- 
chilla (based on the native name) Vutria, and Zorilla; from the Portu- 
eguese Zncoubertus; from the German Cricetus, Desman, Hamster, 
Vormela, and Zibetha; from the Dutch Poescopia; from the Scandina- 
vian Alces, Lemmus, Narwhalus, and Rosmarus; and from the Russian 
Beluga and Sazga. 
BARBAROUS NAMES. 
The recognition of generic names derived from barbarous words has 
given rise to much discussion. Several of the older systematists 
refused to recognize them, and regularly substituted new ones for 
those which they considered barbarous. One of the Linnean rules 
adopted by Illiger provides that generic names which have no root in 
the Greek or Latin languages should be rejected, and under it are 
enumerated 30 genera of mammals which he renamed, viz: 
Aguti. Fennecus. Lori. Potos. 
Aluata. Galago. Kangurus. Saguinus. 
Anarnacus. Gerbillus. Kinkajou. Tapirus. 
Coati. Giraffa. Narwalus. Tatu. 
Coendu. Hamster. Ondathra [sic]. Tenrec. 
Coescoes. Indri. Pongo. Wombatus. 
Desman. Llacma. Potorous. Yerbua. 
Dugong. Lemmus. 
Several later authors followed the same course, and Gloger in the 
preface of his * Hand- und Hilfsbuch der Naturgeschichte, p. vi, 1842, 
says: 
Not a little trouble has been caused by the formation of new scientific names hereby 
rendered necessary, and by substituting for the older and grammatically incorrect 
terms the correct ones which in such cases precede the former. The very objection- 
able barbarisms daily increasing in the language, with which many English and 
more French naturalists corrupt zoological nomenclature, has made such a course of 
procedure necessary, particularly in a book designed for the classically educated 
youth of our higher institutions of learning. 
On the other hand, some authors not only frequently employed 
barbarous names, but also advocated their use. Lacépéde apparently 
never missed an opportunity to use them, while Lesson and Gray are 
responsible for the introduction of many native names. Liais even 
went so far as to suggest the substitution of native names for those 
of classical derivation under the plea that— 
It would be incontestably in the interest of science to preserve names from those 
languages of South America which were spoken over a large extent [of country] 
* Prodromus Systematis Mammalium et Avium, p. xvii, 1811. 
