DESCRIPTION OF A NARWAI, I43 



on the only species known to him. But we are 

 by no means equally satisfied as to the propriety 

 of changing the Linnaean name of the genus, as has 

 been done by La Cepede. 



We are fully persuaded, that the eager desire 

 which the naturalists of France have of late dis- 

 played, to multiply unnecessarily the names of 

 genera ; to alter the received language of natural 

 history ; and wantonly to change the names em- 

 ployed by the father of natural science, ought to 

 be condemned. It certainly has a direct tendency 

 to introduce confusion into natural history, and 

 thereby render a study, pleasant in itself, both irk- 

 some and laborious. 



In natural history, the generic characters ought 

 to be taken from appearances or marks, constant 

 and uniform, and common to every species of the 

 genus. The name of the genus ought to express 

 some striking circumstance in the history, econo- 

 my, or structure of the most common or interest- 

 ing species. In these respects, the generic name 

 Mono don (or one-tooth), is well chosen, as it ex- 

 presses one of the most obvious aixHtriking pecu- 

 liarities in the appearance of both species. In op- 

 position, however, it may be said, that Narwals 

 have been found with two teeth, and therefore the 

 name Monodon ought not to be given to the ge- 

 nus. But as this circumstance occurs extremely 

 seldom, only two instances being on record, it can 

 never justify a change in the name of the genus 

 given by Linnaeus. 



