Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 2 (1898).djvu/459

Rh and the ante-penultimate when the penultimate is short. The International Commission would do a thankworthy act by giving the sanction of their authority to this ancient but much neglected proposal.

In the transcription of Greek diphthongs it would, as many think, be far better to retain ei, ai, and oi; ei because there at least the quantity could no longer be doubtful, but ai and oi because the italic printing of œ and æ causes constant confusion. Thus, for example, μαἳρα, the bright sparkle, is confounded with μοἲρα, gloomy fate. Pareiasaurus, the lizard with a cheek, is a complete linguistic puzzle when written Pariasaurus. The ending idæ, in names of zoological families, is often pronounced with a long penultimate, as if from the Greek ειδης, as in Atreides. But here a misconception has evidently crept in. The penultimate is only long in such words as Atreides because it is a contraction of two short syllables into one long one. In Æacides from Æacus and in similar forms the penultimate is short. But knowledge of what is right, and uniformity in usage can never become general until in these matters we are assisted by the art of the printer.

Among consonants the transcription of k into c appears very undesirable, as it inevitably results in mispronunciation, χαρκινος for instance, being changed vocally into Carsinus.

Some minor points of criticism may be left over to a future opportunity. But, before concluding, I shall venture to submit one or two questions to the learned authors of these recommendations. Is it quite fair to expect those whom they will concern in all parts of the world to be acquainted either with "the rules adopted by the Geographical Society of Paris," or with the geography of the Romans and of Latin writers of the Middle Ages? Why, too, should any notice be taken, in so important a document, of the trivial economy aimed at in abbreviations of authors' names? These absurd curtailments remind one of the time when the sayings and doings of Pitt and Fox were recorded as the words and deeds of Mr. P-tt and Mr. F-x, and when "the" was "ye," with other teasing stinginesses in printing. In the interests of this useless system the zoologist is invited to carry about a list of abbreviations proposed in one country, enlarged in another, imperfect at its birth, and with