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In order to discuss the various kinds of mollusks, we must use standardized names which are understood or recognized by students in every part of the world. For this reason, Latin names, or latinized forms, are employed as the official medium for nomenclature. It is not at all necessary to have a knowledge of Latin or Greek in order to label a seashell. Nor is it supposed that one should attempt to remember the names, although it adds to the enjoyment of the study to absorb those of a few commoner species. In fact, it is not difficult to remember such scientific names as Venus, Mitra, Oliva and Conus. It may be of interest to beginners to know that few professional malacologists can remember more than a hundredth part of the total number of names. They, too, consult books to refresh their memories.

Popular names. Popular or vernacular names in seashells are in great need of standardization and, while their use sometimes has its drawbacks, there is no reason they cannot become as acceptable to the amateur as have the popular names of birds, fishes and wild flowers. It is true that one species may be known by one name in New England and another in Florida, but these are generally names which are in use by local fishermen and not necessarily accepted by amateur shell collectors. In the face of so much name changing in the scientific literature because of legalistic technicalities, the existence of a few provincial popular names seems little enough excuse for not attempting to standardize the common names of seashells. Throughout this book we have presented both scientific and popular names. The latter have been derived from several sources and listed only after careful consideration of the evidence. Private collectors, shell dealers, professionals and, in some cases, many popular books, both recent and old, have contributed to the final choice. In a few instances, alternate popular names which are well-entrenched along wide regions of our coast have been listed. Popularization of patronymic names, such as Clark’s cone for Conus clarki, has been simple. Direct translations of the Latin have in many but not all cases been advisable. Many obvious direct translations have been avoided in order to avoid confusion with names already used for shells in other regions of the world. It is interesting to note that many popular names in use today were recorded by early eighteenth century writers, and that a few popular generic names are to be found in the writings of Aristotle and Pliny. We have not, of course, employed the rule of using the name first employed as is done in scientific nomenclature (rule of priority). It is hoped that this first listing of 1100 popular names of American seashells will bring fuller enjoyment to the many amateurs who do not desire to “wrestle” with scientific names.

Scientific names. A mollusk is given two parts to its scientific name—the genus, which is akin to a surname, such as Smith or Jones, and the species