40 



f, as in Hyperoodon and Hyperodon, Isodon and Isoodon, Calo- and Callo-, 

 Elipsodon and Ellipsodon , Nanomys and Nannomys , Platyrhinus and 

 Platyrrhinus, Amblyotus and Amblyottus, etc. 



h. In the use of e or £e in diminutives, as -e^a and -^Za, as in 

 Damesella, Damesiella, and of W and ss in eWa and essa. 



i. In the use of u and y as interchangeable, as in Platyprosopus and 

 P/afa^rosopws. 



j. In the use of -mus ane -m?/s as suffixes, as Peramus and Pera- 

 m^/s, Rhinomus and Rhinomys. 



k. In names derived from the same personal name, as Purshia and 

 Purschia, Damesella and Damesiella. 



1. In the use of abridged or full form, as Chlamyphorus and Chlamy- 

 dophorus, Megamys and Megalomys. 



In the above draft, it is the intention to express the principle in- 

 volved and to cite illustrations. The whole matter can be covered much 

 more briefly, as has been done in the revised A. 0. U. Code, pp. lviii 

 and lix. 



The purpose of the proposed amendment is to conserve names long 

 established by concurrent usage which would become homonyms under 

 any rule (necessarily a new rule) antagonistic to the principle already 

 adopted by the Commission in the case of specific names. 



The extent to which current names of genera would be displaced 

 in consequence of such a rule would be serious. I have already compiled 

 a long list of generic names of mammals that would be so affected, and 

 have in a short time gathered a still longer list of bird genera that would 

 become homonyms under the adoption of a "one-letter rule". Extend 

 this ratio throughout the animal kingdom and it is easy to see that pro- 

 bably a thousand current generic names would have to be changed. 



While this is appalling, it is perhaps not the worst feature of the 

 case. Owing to the work of emenders, it will add enormously to the 

 bibliographical research of the systematist to determine whether or not 

 a new generic name he may wish to propose, which is the same in origin 

 and meaning as a name already in existence, is not already covered by 

 an amended form and thus preoccupied. 



List of generic names of mammals treated as homonyms of 

 others having the same origin and meaning. 



This list is based on Dr. T. S. Palmer's "Index Generum Mam- 

 malium", published in 1904. The trustworthiness of this work is beyond 

 question, its accuracy of detail being simply marvelous. 



Some of the names here listed apply to groups not usually accorded 

 generic, or even subgeneric rank, and may be homonyms, but, in the 



