PREFACE 
This work originated in personal needs. The labor involved in con- 
sulting so many books of reference to see how and where a certain 
generic name had been used, or whether one coined for a special occa- 
sion had already been employed, led me to cut up a copy of Marschall’s 
Nomenclator* and making a single alphabet of its twenty-one lists, 
add to them from year to year the names found in the index to the 
Zoological Eecord.f The scrap-book thus formed made a tolerable sup- 
plement to Agassiz’s Index, | and was worth the pains employed. The 
alphabet of the scrap-book could not, however, be kept intact, espe- 
cially in view of the multiplicity of compounds of some favorite initiatory 
word like cuavOa • it became more complicated and unwieldy with ever}' 
addition ; and in view of the length of time that had elapsed since 
Agassiz’s index was issued, the need of a new index universalis became 
daily more apparent. My zoological friends, to whom my manuscript 
list was open, urged also the boon such an undertaking would confer 
upon all working naturalists, and the cordiality with which a proposi- 
* Nomenclator zoologicus, continens nomina systematica generum animalium tam 
viventium quam fossilium, secundum ordinem alphabetic um disposita sub auspiciis et 
sumptibus C. R. Societat.is zoologico-botanicae conscriptus a comite Augusto de Mar- 
schall. 8°. Vindobonae, 1873. Pp. 4, 482. This work includes 19,966 entries. 
tThe record of zoological literature, vol. 1-6. [Continued under the title] The 
zoological record for 1870 [-1879] ; being vol. 7 [-16] of the Record of zoological litera- 
ture. 16 vols., London, 1865-1881. 8°. Vols. 1-5 were never indexed ; the index for 
vol. 6 will be found in vol. 10. Vols. 1-6 were edited by C. L. G. Gunther; vols. 7-9 
by Alfred Newton ; vols. 10-13 by E. C. Rye. The indexes of volumes 6-14 contain 
7,968 names. 
t Nomenclator zoologicus, continens nomina systematica generum animalium tam 
viventium quam fossilium, secundum ordinem alphabeticum disposita, adjectis auc- 
toribus, libris, in quibus reperiuntur, anno editionis, etymologia et familiis, ad quas 
pertinent, in singulis classibus. Auctore L. Agassiz. Adjuvantibus, Princ. C. L. 
Bonaparte, H. Burmeister, T. a Charpentier, C. Dum6ril, G. R. Ehrenberg, G. F. Erich- 
son, E. F. Germar, G. R. Gray, J. E. Gray, L. Imhoff, J. J. Kaup, H. Loew, H. Lucas, 
C. T. Menke, H. a Meyer, F. Mieschner, M. Milne-Edwards, H. E. Strickland, A. Wag- 
ner, G. R. Waterhouse, Zeller. 4°. Soloduri, 1842-1846. Pp. (1539). 
This work included the following, which is the volume referred to in the text : 
Nomenclatoris zoologici index universalis, continens nomina systematica classium, 
ordinum, familiarum et generum animalium omnium, tam viventium quam fossilium, 
secundum ordinem alphabeticum unicum disposita, adjectis homonymiis plantarum, 
nec non variis adnotationibus et emendationibus. Auctore L. Agassiz. 4°. Soloduri, 
1846. Pp. 8, 393. This was also issued in 12° (from the same type rearranged), Solo- 
duri, 1848. Pp. 10, 1135. This last, containing 32,964 entries, served as a basis for my 
index, mentioned below, copies being cut up and rearranged with other lists in one 
alphabet. 
v 
