174 



ON II ELI CELL A, FERUSSAC. 



By G. K. GuDE, F.Z.S., and B. B. Woodward, F.L.S. 



Bead Sth April, 1921. 



In January, 1821, Ferussac, in his " Tableau systematique de 

 la famille des Limayons 'V instituted the subgenus Helicella as the 

 sixth subgenus of his genus " Helix, MuUer ". 



It was an agglomeration of 148 species, which, as the result of the 

 researches of succeeding malacologists, are now referred to widely 

 differing genera and even families. This dispersal was effected 

 piecemeal, at different times, and under varying influences of opinion, 

 hence there is neither method nor consistency in the conclusions 

 arrived at by the several writers. Nor can this be Avondered at, 

 seeing that the necessary literature has, until lately, been but 

 imperfectly known, and no agreed standard of nomenclature set up. 

 Now, however, thanks to the untiring efforts of Mr. C. Davies 

 Sherborn, in connexion with his " Index Animalium ", and 

 Mr. Tom Iredale (to both of whom we are greatly indebted for much 

 valuable assistance and advice, which we here gladly acknowledge), 

 as well as other workers, practically all the needful literature has 

 been sought out and recorded, hence it has become highly desirable 

 to scrutinize this composite group afresh, under the guidance of 

 those International Rules of Zoological Nomenclature, which the 

 majority of systematic zoologists now follow.^ 



The results are in some respects startling, and involve the 

 discarding of some names that have become familiar, and the 

 changing of others. The writers yield to no possible, or probable 

 critics thereof in deploring this outcome of their researches ; but if 

 finality in nomenclature is ever to be obtained and justice done to 

 the pioneers in malacology, the International Rules must be strictly 

 adhered to. 



Ferussac took the name for his subgenus from the nude vernacular 

 " Helicelle " of Lamarck,^ and must consequently have the credit 



^ Also cited, and by the author himself, as " Prodromus ". Our citations 

 are all given from the January edition ; the numeration of the pages in the 

 June edition is exactly four less, owing to the omission of the " Avertissement ". 

 Both editions are (juoted indiscriminately in Ferussac's later " Histoire ", 

 and that sometimes on the same page ! 



- The latest edition of these Rules, extracted from the Proceedings of the 

 Ninth International Zoological Congress, Monaco, 1913 (T. 0. Smallwood, 

 Washington, D.C., September, 1916), has here been followed. 



^ Extrait du Cours de Zoologie, 1812, p. 115, last line. 



