Ornitholoffical Nomenclature. 431 



legists being pretty much in the direct ratio of the amount of 

 work they do) , it seems to me impossible that a name can have 

 absolute definiteness without a reference to the person who 

 defined it. The name quoted, with the appendix, does not 

 become in any sense trinomial. It remains strictly binomial. 

 The authority is no part of the name, any more than the 

 reference to its origin, but is only quoted to give definition 

 to it, to ensure the greatest possible scientific precision, and as 

 a concession to the "humanity " of ornithologists, who might 

 otherwise "err" as to the species of bird first described under 

 the name. 



Now let us take our " cases.'' 



Sawicola stapazina, Dresser, Birds of Eur. pt. xxv. 

 Sterna hirundo, Dresser, Birds of Eur. pt. xii. 

 When Dresser transferred the name of the Black-throated 

 Chat to the Eared Chat, and that of the Common Tern to 

 the Arctic Tern, he placed future ornithologists upon the 

 horns of a dilemma. Thenceforth the binomial term of 

 Saxicola stapazina ceased to be a scientific term ; and to give 

 it the necessary precision to enable it to become scientific, 

 either the circuitous term Sawicola stapazina, Linn., fide 

 Dresser, or the equally objectionable term Sawicola stapazina, 

 Linn, nee Temm. &c., must be used. Ornithologists will not 

 easily forgive a writer who obliges them to reject a long familiar 

 name. I conceive that we have no alternative but to reject 

 these names altogether. To meet these cases I propose the 

 following rider to Rule 12 of the Stricklandian code : — 



" The object of all rules of scientific nomenclature 

 being to attain absolute precision, it is obvious that a 

 name which has been extensively applied to one species 

 ought not, under any circumstances, to be transferred to 

 any other species in the same genus. Where any reason- 

 able doubt attaches to the correctness of any identifica- 

 tion, the species in possession of the name should have the 

 benefit of the doubt, in order to avoid change. Where 

 no doubt whatever exists that a name ordinarily attri- 

 buted to one, properly belongs to another species of the 



