2 The Scottish Naturalist. 



will be given for notes and queries relating to any branch of Natural 

 Science in Scotland ; and information will be given, as far as 

 possible, to those in quest of it. 



The Editor would take this opportunity of stating that it is his 

 desire to obtain information from all parts of Scotland concerning 

 the occurrence of plant diseases, whatever the cause ; and that he 

 will therefore be much obliged for any records, especially if accom- 

 panied by specimens of the affected plants, and also for specimens 

 alone if they bear a note of the locality and of the degree of pre- 

 valence of the form of disease. The importance of the inquiry into 

 the conditions and causes of disease in plants is becoming suffi- 

 ciently appreciated to induce him to hope that this help will be 

 given him by those that find themselves able to do so. 



'HE SCIENTIFIC METHOD IN BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION. 

 By Rev. WILLIAM L. DAVIDSON. 



II. TERMINOLOGY. 



NEXT in importance to the handling of the group-characters 

 with a view to definition, comes the matter of Scientific 

 Terminology. In its full extent, this subject raises many ques- 

 tions ; but, as we are considering it here solely in connection with 

 Classification, we need not do more than occupy ourselves with 

 the three great rules that play the main part in Scientific Naming. 



I. The first of these rules is this : — That there shall be a dis- 

 tinct name for every separate or distinct thing ; in other words, 

 that in every department of scientific knowledge the descriptive 

 terminology shall have a copiousness adequate to the needs of 

 that department. 



Now, when we consider that the Natural History Sciences are 

 growing sciences, that research in them is being constantly pushed 

 forward and new discoveries are being steadily made, it is evident 

 that biological terminology cannot remain in a fossilized state. 

 It must change as our knowledge of facts changes, keeping pace 

 with the new revelations that from year to year surprise us. And 

 this much must be frankly admitted, that in the case of interesting 

 and striking discoveries, more especially when such would prove 

 a good diagnostic character, both the botanist and the zoologist 

 are ever ready with a corresponding terminology. Thus, when 

 the fertilization of plants became a subject of absorbing interest in 

 botany, and so much fresh light was thrown upon it by the obser- 



