PREFACE. 
In the year 1882 the Smithsonian Institution issued the “ Nomenclator Zoologi- 
cus ” of S. H. Scudder, intended to be a complete Index to the generic names 
used in Zoology to the close of the year 1879. 
Sc udder’s work has been highly appreciated. Great as was the labour 
involved in its production, this was far from wasted. The work has since been 
used by every one desirous of ascertaining what names exist, or of finding a 
clue to the origin and zoological usage of some particular name. 
It was composed of the previous ‘‘ Nomenclators ” of Agassiz and Marschall, 
together with the names contained in the Indexes of the “ Zoological Record,” 
vols. 1-16, and names supplied by Scudder himself and by various zoological 
friends ; the names coming from this last source being chiefly omissions from 
the earlier works of Agassiz and Marschall. 
When Scudder’s “ Nomenclator ” was published, the author mentioned in the 
preface that the Smithsonian Institution intended to issue decennial supplements 
to it. As two such periods have passed and no supplement has appeared, and as 
a letter addressed by the Secretary of the Zoological Society to the Secretary of 
the Smithsonian Institution elicited no reply that might justify us in expecting 
that the Institution would carry out its intention, the preparation of the present 
work was authorized by the Council of the Zoological Society, in the hopes that 
it would prove of assistance to those engaged in zoological study. 
Mr. C. O. Waterhouse, one of the staff of the British Museum (Natural 
History), has taken an interest in this field of work for many years past, and, as is 
narrated in Mr. Scudder’s preface, he handed that gentleman a list that was 
largely useful in the compilation of the “ Nomenclator.” He has continued his 
work since then, and the Index we are now offering to the zoological public is 
the result of his perseverance. It is, as nearly as may be, a continuation of 
Scudder’s work, and the method of indexing adopted is, as nearly as may be, 
uniform with that of Scudder, and with the Indexes appended to the annual 
volumes of the “ Zoological Record.” 
When the Council of the Zoological Society decided to undertake this Index, 
an appoal was issued to zoologists, asking them to supply omitted names. In 
answer to this appeal many names were received ; these were added to those 
already accumulated by Mr. Waterhouse, and were combined with those contained 
in vols. 17-37 of the “ Zoological Record. ” It was at first intended that these 
materials should form the complete work. But when the Index began to pass 
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