NATURAL SCIENCE 



A Monthly Review of Scientific Progress 



No. 74— Vol. XII— APEIL 1898 



NOTES AND COMMENTS 



" What's in a Name ? " 



Some apology will doubtless be demanded by our readers for that we 

 present them, within a single number, with two lengthy articles on 

 special points of zoological nomenclature. We venture to think, 

 however, that the articles appeal to wider circles than the select few 

 who pose as specialists on crinoids and crayfish. The animals whose 

 names are in question are among the best known of invertebrates ; 

 of some it might be said that they are in everybody's mouth (for 

 which remark we offer further apology). Is it not a little humiliat- 

 ing to zoologists that they are still undecided what to call a lobster ? 

 It is not even safe to call it a Crustacean ; for, if some priority- 

 fanatics had their way, the name Crustacea would be the heritage of 

 what are now known as echinoderms. It is doubtful whether 

 obedience to any code of rules could effect the automatic solution of 

 all these puzzles ; certainly their settlement needs a far wider and 

 deeper knowledge of ancient literature than is possessed by any 

 living zoologist. Each day almost brings its discovery and the 

 second-hand bookstall reverses a time-honoured belief. Let us pray 

 that the speedy adjustment of these disputes may set free brains and 

 energy to find out a little more about the facts of nature, and that 

 the present reign of topsy-turvydom may be remembered only in 

 some modern " Stultifera Navis," towards which our parodist makes 

 his humble contribution : — 



The lobster and the crayfish 



Were walking claw in claw, 

 They wept like anything to hear 



Such quantities of jaw. 

 If only this were cleared away. 



They said, we should guffaw. ' 



Q 



