October 23, 1896.] 



SCIENCE. 



593 



structure. For example, peculiarities of 

 various parts might be hinted at by such 

 words as Cartas or Cephalias or Cotidias or 

 Cottias (for animals having some distinctive 

 character in the head), Chirias (hand or 

 hand-like organ, Gnathias (jaw), Podias 

 (feet), Thwacias (thorax), and many others 

 of analogous import. 



Another termination which might be 

 used advantageously instead of the too 

 often used -oides is the patronymic suffix 

 -ides. This would be specially useful where 

 genetic relationship is desired to be indi- 

 cated. We have many such models in 

 classical literature, as Alcides, the son of 

 Alcseus; Atrides,the son of Atreus; Pelides, 

 the son of Peleus, JEacides; the grandson of 

 iEacus, and the like. 



Another source for help in name-making 

 is in the several intensive Greek particles 

 occurring as prefixes of various names. 

 The chief of these prefxesare a^i-, ari-j da-, 

 ■eri-, eu-, and za-. Eu- has been so very often 

 drafted into use that relief and variety may 

 be found by resorting to the others. 



Ari- i^'Apt-) occurs often in classical words, 

 as «/):'5az/5U9, very tearful, dp[37]Xog, very plain, 

 and dpiTipsnyj?, very showy. 



Da- ('Jet) is illustrated by such names as 

 dd<TyM}<; (daskios, shaded) and dacpnivu^ (daph- 

 oinos, deep red) — convert them, if you 

 will, into Dascius and Daphoenus. Numerous 

 names may be made on the model, although 

 in classical Greek there are few. 



Eri- CEpt-) is used in the same way as Ari-, 

 and is familiar in ancient Greek as a particle 

 of such words as tptaujy]<i (very brilliant) and 

 Ipiabyrr^v (with a high arched neck). The 

 common large seal of northern Europe (Erig- 

 nantlius harhatus^ has received its generic 

 name, based on the same model, on account 

 of the depth of the jaws. Very few natural- 

 ists, however, have availed themselves of 

 this particle for name-making, most of the 

 words in the zoological nomenclature com- 

 mencing with Eri- having other origins. 



Za- {Za-') is met with in such words as 

 Zd.y]'i (strong blowing), Zd.Oepy]'; (very hot), 

 ZdxaXXrjg (very beautiful) , Zd-Xouro^ (very 

 rich), ZdTzorr/? (a hard drinker). The par- 

 ticle has been utilized in the composition of 

 the generic name (Zalophus) of the common 

 sea-lion, distinguished by its high sagittal 

 crest (C«- and ?Mcpo?, crest), familiar to men- 

 agerie visitors, and the residents and trav- 

 ellers in San Francisco. Professor Cope has 

 also made use of it for several of his names. 



We have been told by ancient writers that 

 Cicero was a name derived from deer, a 

 vetch. According to Pliny, the name (like 

 Fahius and Lenhdus) was obtained on ac- 

 count of ancestral skill in cultivation of the 

 plant ; but, according to Plutarch, the origi- 

 nal of the name was so called because he 

 had a vetch-like wen on his nose.* Which 

 one (if either) was the fact is of no ma- 

 terial consequence. The etymological pro- 

 priety of both is sanctioned by the sup- 

 position's of classical writers. There can 

 then be no valid objection to other names 

 formed on the model. 



There is one rule which has been put in 

 such a form (and without proper excep- 

 tions) that a number of names, improper 

 according to classical standards, have been 

 introduced. The rule is that the aspirate 

 of Greek should be rendered by h. While 

 this is true for the commencement of a 

 name, it is not for the body, where it gen- 

 erally is suppressed, being sonant only after 

 p, t or h. The Greeks, accordingly, wrote 

 Philippos {<PiXt--o<s') and Ej^hipjnis ("EftTTTrog'). 

 In accordance with such models Mesohippus 

 and Orohippus should have been called Me- 

 sippus and Orippus. Protohip>2yus should 

 have been Prothippus. Epihippus might 

 by some be considered to be preoccu- 

 pied by Ephippus, a genus of fishes. But, 

 in my opinion, all the names should be 



* Those familiar with the ' Spectator ' may recall 

 Addison's allusion to this (No. 59). See also Middle- 

 ton's Life of Cicero. 



