In general I agree with these rules of thumb. However, I've got my 
doubts about declining the names of people who live(d) in the current 
era (latter part of the 19th and 20th century). I would use the family 
name one was born with as a rule for declination: e.g. Rumphius was born 
as Rumph, thus declination is defensible. However, how about naming a 
woman with the familyname under which she was born like Sibelius? Would 
that be sibelae, sibeliae or sibeliusae? Or a man born in the 20th 
century, when familynames were already fixed? In this last scenario 
sibeliusi is defensible in my book.

Sincerely, Erick

----------------------------------------------------------------------
[log in to unmask] - a forum for informal discussions on molluscs
To leave this list, click on the following web link:
http://listserv.uga.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=conch-l&A=1
Type your email address and name in the appropriate box and
click leave the list.
----------------------------------------------------------------------