Vlll INTRODUCTION. 



For these reasons we have adopted the " International Rules 

 of Zoological Nomenclature," and have been strictly obedient to 

 those Rules in deciding upon the correct name to be used for the 

 birds on the British list. Although this has involved a good many 

 changes from the names that British ornithologists are accustomed 

 to, and will thus cause some temporary inconvenience, we are sure 

 that the principle upon which we have acted is the only scientific 

 one possible, and ^^'e firmly believe that this principle will very soon 

 be universally conceded. 



These Rules have the highest international authority, and only 

 international authoritj^ can be universally accepted. But the 

 Rules must be followed implicitly, and no exceptions to them must 

 be made, for once an exception is allowed, then the old evil of 

 individual choice must enter, and uniformity be lost again. There 

 may be, in certain cases, some dissension in the interpretation of the 

 Rules, but when once these difficulties are overcome uniformity 

 will be accomplished, and following uniformity will come stability. 



Let everyone help towards this most desirable end by studying 

 and upholding the strict letter of the law, rather than his o^^^l con- 

 venience, likes, and dislikes. 



The more important Rules affecting specific and subspecific names 

 are given below, and of these if may be remarked that numbers 

 26 and 27 are the most important, and have the greatest effect 

 upon the British list, because most British authors have, since 

 1846, adopted the 12th edition of Linne as the starting j)oint, instead 

 of the 10th, and have had scant regard for the strict law of priority : — 



" Article 2. — The scientific designation of animals is 

 uninominal for subgenera and all higher groups, binominal 

 for species, and trinominal for subspecies. 



" Article 11. — Specific and subspecific names are subject 

 to the same rules and recommendations, and from a nomen- 

 clatural standpoint they are co-ordinate, that is, they are of 

 the same value. 



" Article 12. — A specific name becomes a subspecific 

 name when the species so named becomes a subspecies, and 

 vice versa. 



" Article 17. — If it is desired to cite the subspecific name, 

 such name is written immediately following the specific name, 

 without the interposition of any mark of punctuation. 



