VOL. XI, PP. 173-174 JUNE 9, 1897 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON NOTES ON THE NOMENCLATURE OF FOUR GENERA OF TROPICAL AMERICAN MAMMALS. BY T. S. PALMER. It is generally admitted that stability in nomenclature can only be attained by adhering strictly to the law of priority and adopting the earliest available name for each genus and species. Some of the early writers used native names as generic designa tions of mammals and birds, but such terms were rejected almost without exception by certain zoologists, who maintained that only scientific names of classical origin should be used. Illiger, and to a less extent Cuvier, were leaders in the reform against ' barbarous ' names, and in carrying out their views did not hesi tate to replace earlier names by others which they deemed more appropriate. As their classification of mammals and birds was very generally adopted, their nomenclature was accepted with out question. At present, however, derivation is considered of much less importance than priority, and one recent writer, Liais, has even gone so far as to maintain that in the case of South American species scientific names derived from Indian names are preferable to any others. It must be admitted that no valid objections can be urged against barbarous names when such genera as Alactaga, Avahi, Babirussa, Coendou, Indri, Linsanga, and many others receive general recognition. Some of Cuvier's and Illiger 's genera have already been aban doned in favor of earlier ones, but there are still several others, as Tatusia, Dicotyles, Cercoleptes,?Md Ghrysothrix*vj\\\c\\ are unfor tunately antedated by valid names. The nine-banded arma dillo was placed in a distinct group, Tatusie, by Cuvier in 1822, 40 BIOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XI, 1897 (173)
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