18 LAWS OP NOMENCLATURE. 



withstanding their undeniable importance, are rela- 

 tively accessory. 



Art. 4. No custom contrary to rule can be main- 

 tairied if it leads to confusion or error. When a custom 

 offers no serious inconvenience of this Had, it may be 

 a motive for exceptions, wbicb we must, however, ab- 

 stain from extending or imitating. In the absence 

 of rule, or where the consequences of rules are ques- 

 tionable, established custom becomes law. 



Art. 5. The principles and forms of nomenclature 

 should be as similar as possible in botany and in 

 zoology. 



Art. 6. Scientific names should be in Latin. When 

 taken from another language, a Latin termination is 

 given to them, 'except in cases sanctioned by custom. 

 If translated into a modern language, it is desirable 

 that they should preserve as great a resemblance as 

 possible to the original Latin names. 



Art. 7. Nomenclature comprises two categories of 

 names: — 1. Names, or rather terms, expressing the 

 nature of the groups comprehended one within an- 

 other. 2. Names particular to each of the groups of 

 plants or animals that observation has made known 

 to us. 



CHAPTEE II. 



ON THE MANNER OE DESIGNATING THE NATURE AND SUB- 

 ORDINATION OF THE GROUPS THAT CONSTITUTE THE 

 VEGETABLE EINGDOM. 



Art. 8. Every individual plant belongs to a species 

 [species), every species to a genus [genus), eyerj genus 



