60 
Hyomeryx. 
ILyonycteris. 
Hyotapirus. Merychippus. Mysateles. Sikelaphus. 
Hyrachyus. Merychyus. Myscebus. Sorexglis. 
H yracotherh yus. Merycocheerus. Myslemur. Soricictis. 
Hystriochomys. Mioxicebus. Myspithecus. Spalacomys. 
Ictailurus. Murilemur. Oedipomidas. Syarctus. 
Icticyon. M yocastor. Onohippidion. Talpasorex. 
lctidomys. Myocebus. Onotragus. Tamiasciurus. 
Lagomys. Myogalea. Ovibos. Tapiroporcus. 
Leontocebus. Myoictis. Pardofelis. Taurotragus. 
Leontopithecus. Myolagus. Phocarctos. Theridomys. 
Leopardus. Myolemmus. Phococetus. Theridosorex. 
Lutrictis. Myonycteris. Pithecanthropus. Theriodictis. 
Lutrogale. Myoscalops. Pithesciurus. Tragelaphus. 
Lycalopex. Myosictis. Pithelemur. Tragulohyus. 
Lycyena. Myosorex. Ruceryus. Ursarctus. 
Lycyon. Myospalax. Saurocetus. Ursitaxus. 
Lynchailurus. Myotalpa. Saurodelphis. Vulpicanis. 
INDEX GENERUM MAMMALIUM. 
Melictis. 
Melogale. 
Myoxicebus. 
Myoxomys. 
Sciuromys. 
Sciurotamias. 
APPLICATION OF NAMES. 
Etymology in the widest sense of the term properly includes the 
application of names, but the latter subject is so broad as to merit 
special consideration. Although many generic names have been ap- 
plied in such haphazard fashion or based on such apparently trivial 
or obscure characters that it is almost hopeless to attempt to explain 
their application unless the original author has furnished the key, still 
many others have been based on important characters or coined with 
a view of expressing relationships, indicating facts of distribution, or 
throwing light on their history, thus offering an interesting field tor 
investigation. No attempt has been made to explain all obscure 
names, particularly those of extinct groups, but the object has been 
chiefly to show the application of the more important ones, especially 
in the case of North American mammals. The explanations given in 
the ‘Century Dictionary,’ the various recent works on mammals, and 
similar books of reference have been collected, and free use has been 
made of all sources of information which would throw light on the 
subject. : 
Apparently every conceivable character, external and internal, posi- 
tive and negative, has been called into play in making generic names, 
and minute or imaginary resemblances have been utilized to such an 
extent thatat is sometimes impossible to see the connection between 
the name and the animal even when the derivation is known. But the 
attempt to ascertain whether a certain term has originated. in fact or 
fiction, or whether its application has been suggested merely by the 
fancy of the author, is at least interesting, and often successful. [n 
classifying names, beginning with those which have an obvious appli- 
cation and. passing to those which have none, at least ten subdivisions 
