ORDER CARNASSIER. 265 



name, and the resemblance of instinct and tastes would 

 lead us rather to believe that the term Kinkajou, is the 

 same as that of Kareajou or Careajou, and that both belong 

 to the same animal, the Glutton of North America. 



The Baron Humboldt has informed us of some of the de- 

 nominations of this animal, which vary, no doubt, according 

 to the language of the tribes within whose territories the 

 Poto may be found. The Musica Indians, in the Mesa of 

 Guandiaz, call it the Cuchumbi; and in the mission of Rio 

 Negro, it bears the name of Manaviri. Either of those 

 names would be preferable to Poto or Kinkajou, which na- 

 turalists will be obliged, sooner or later, to restore to their 

 right owners. We do not presume, however, to depart in 

 this point from the established usage, and change a name 

 which has been consecrated by custom, however erroneously 

 we may think it applied. It would be vain, indeed, to in- 

 troduce a reformation, in a single instance, without carry- 

 ing it farther, and the attempt at a general reformation of 

 the nomenclature of Zoology, would, on our parts, be a 

 piece of presumptuous temerity. We may presume, how- 

 ever, so far as to express a hope that the day will yet arrive, 

 when this noble science shall be purged alike of popular 

 appellations, which have no meaning, and of technical sy- 

 nonimes, which are only calculated to mislead — when the 

 grand reform, so happily commenced by our illustrious au- 

 thor, in the higher divisions of the animal world, shall be 

 carried with equal felicity into the lower, and when each 

 genus and species shall receive a single, simple, scientific 

 name, derived from its conformation, and expressive of its 

 most influential characters. Either Zoology is entitled to 

 the rank of a science, or it is not — if it be not, then have 

 many illustrious men bestowed much pains upon it, to little 

 purpose ; if it be, (and, surely, there is no study which has 

 a better claim,) such a reformation as we have ventured to 

 allude to, will be indispensable to its perfection. We are 



