THE ZOOLOGIST 
No. 681.—March, 1898. 
THE TECHNICAL NAMES OF BRITISH MAMMALS. 
By Ouprietp THomas, F.Z.S. 
NoMENCLATURE, like linguistics or the structure of Greek 
names, is one of the collateral subjects which, however far from 
true zoology, have yet to be dealt with by every working zoologist ; 
while it has the added inconvenience that, however it is done, 
whether rigidly or laxly, by rule or without it, its study is sure to 
bring down on the head of the worker the wrath of outsiders 
whenever unexpected results are arrived at. 
This is especially the case in any group of animals which is 
particularly well known to outside, as opposed to technical, 
workers, and therefore any change in the nomenclature of so well- 
known a group as our British Mammals is to be greatly deplored 
from every point of view. But for this very reason, if techni- 
cally unavoidable, changes should be adopted as soon and as 
widely as possible, so that the younger generation of naturalists 
may grow up knowing the proper names, and may not have to 
undergo the inconveniences we have all been put to. 
An opportunity for a general revision of the names of our 
British Mammals seems now to have presented itself on the 
publication of a paper on the nomenclature of European Bats, 
showing what the proper names should be. These, as always 
happens, prove to be widely different from what we are accus- 
tomed to, and show how muddled and incorrect our current 
nomenclature has been. | 
Zool. 4th ser. vol. II., March, 1898. . H 
