52 
tirely new method to propose. He would write, for example, 
Castalia odorata, Greene (L.), that is, to cite the original author 
of the specific name behind the author of the binomial. Just 
what is to be gained by this method over the one so widely in : 
vogue of reversing this arrangement and writing Castalia odorata | 
(L.) Greene, is not obvious. Indeed the appearance of this book : 
will, I believe, tend to bring the method of the American Orni-— 
thologists and other zoologists into increasing favor, and caust : 
many to write Castalia odorata (L.), which method Dr. Kuntze | 
stigmatizes as false and “ often used by modesty or by negligence — 
or by fear of responsibility.” | However, if this is not employed, © 
and there is a general acceptance of the generic names pointed : 
out by the author as having priority, it will necessitate writing | 
Kuntze (contracted to OK by Dr. Kuntze) after surely not less | 
than 25,000 specific names, a positively fearful thing for Ameri- a 
cans to contemplate. e 
While we consider that Dr. Kuntze has gone too far in begit - 
ning his nomenclature with the Linnaean Systema of 1735, we d0 
not think that he has gone quite far enough in other directions 
He has not accepted the important principle that a name once 
used for an organism ought to be applicable to that and to 10 
other, the doctrine of “ once a synonym always asynonym,” whi 
would effectually prevent the instability of nomenclature due © 
homonyms; he has not accepted specific names identical with 
generic, making here an exception to his otherwise stringent rules 
of priority, and while he accepts the idea of priority of place ig 
as important as priority of time, it is only with important modifi 
cations, which do not appear to me to have any sound basis. The 
only rule that can be effective in this matter must be one without 
exceptions, if we are to arrive at fixed results. oe 
Dr. Kuntze’s chapter on the dates of publication of the writ 
ings of the older authors is worthy of the closest attention. It 
supplies information which only a favored few have at their com 
mand, and for which he will have the lasting gratitude of botanis® 
generally for years to come. 
The principal changes suggested for the generic names of 
North American plants are appended. I have annotated a few 
of them. It should be stated that in all cases which I have had 
