SUB-SPECIES AND THE FIELD NATURALIST. 521 



of previous generations. Hence we have come to the use of 

 trinomials to denominate geographical differences existing in 

 the same species under different circumstances and in varying 

 environment. 



As reaards the second accusation levelled against Modern 

 Naturalists, that of upsetting long existing names in their attempt 

 to regulate nomenclature as a whole, it is curious that the 

 accusation is nearh^ always made by the same individual, who 

 inveighs against trinomialism. If we examine the reasons given 

 for the accusation, it invariably comes to this, that by giving names 

 to birds which are not those 103^ which the accuser knows them, we 

 inconvenience him. There can be but one correct name for a bird, 

 and Natu.ralists of the calibre who complain because their personal 

 convenience and sympathies are not consulted forget that no 

 generation works for itself alone and its own pleasure. It is the 

 duty of each generation to put classification and nomenclature 

 — -amongst other things — on as stable a basis as possible for the- 

 generations to follow, and the only way to do this is to make some 

 definite rule as to nomenclature and adhere to it. The rule thus 

 made by the International Congress and universall}:- agreed to is that 

 priority of nomenclature shall be strictly adhered to with effect 

 from the date of the lOth Edition of Linnaeus (1758), the founder 

 of binomialism. This of coarse means that from time to time some 

 long accepted name has to be discarded for another hitherto over- 

 looked and unknown, w^hich preceded it. Naturally our own 

 sympathies are in favour of the continuation of the name we have 

 known all our lives, but oiir children will always know it by the new 

 name, and will not be bothered with this question of sympathy, if 

 we are only consistent, and adopt as soon as it is ascertained the name 

 to which the bird is properly entitled. If ornithologists of the 

 present generation do their duty without first stopping to consider 

 whether it will inconvenience them personally, those of coming gene- 

 rations will have, but little left to do in reference to classification 

 and nomenclatxire. All this, the rough foundation work of orni- 

 thology will have been threshed out by ourselves, and perhaps 

 those who next succeed us. Those later to come will be employed 

 in elucidating cau.se and effect, not in finding out what is, but in 

 ascertaining lohy it is and hoir it has become so. The ornitho- 

 logist will not want to find oiit in what respect one bird differs 

 from another, where it lives and how it feeds. All this will be 

 ready prepared for him to acquire speedily from books, and it will 

 be his duty to continue the investigation into reasons and results, 

 and to tabulate what he learns as the basis of work for yet future 

 generations. 



So too, the Oologist will no longer want to know what bird lays 

 what kind of egg, but will be discovering why each particular 



