Ornithological Nomenclature. 435 



Association codes notwithstanding, unless the study of orni- 

 thology is to be allowed to drift into a popular amusement, 

 in which scientific accuracy is of minor importance. 



The name arundinaceus having ceased to be a scientific 

 term in the genus Acrocephalus, the strict letter of the law 

 requires us to adopt that oijunco of Pallas. This appears to 

 me to be a case in which ornithological law may fairly be 

 overridden by ornithological equity. Pallas had no right to 

 substitute the prelinnsean name of junco for the Linnsean 

 name of arundinaceus , since he quotes the latter as a synonym, 

 and retains the species in the genus Turdus. I submit there- 

 fore that the Great Sedge-Warbler ought to be known by 

 its time-honoured name of Acrocephalus turdoides (Meyer) ; 

 and I propose to justify the proceeding by adding the follow- 

 ing rider to Rule 12 : — 



" Names which have been in general use for many 

 years, and which have been clearly defined, ought not 

 to be superseded by the discovery of earlier names, com- 

 paratively unknown, except in cases where the newly 

 discovered name accompanies the earliest clear definition 

 of the species." 



Graculus graculus, Sharpe, Cat. of Birds, p. 146. 



Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax , Sharpe, Cat. of Birds, iii. p. 148. 



Corone corone, Sharpe, Cat. of Birds, iii. p. 36. 



Pica pica, Sharpe, Cat. of Birds, iii. p. 62. 



It is a thousand pities that ornithologists did not retain 

 the excellent practice commenced by Brisson of giving to the 

 type of each genus the same specific and genei^ic name. To 

 revert to the practice now would, I fear, involve too much 

 change in our nomenclature, though it would undoubtedly give 

 to it a system and simplicity which it does not at present 

 possess. But be this as it may, it is obviously absurd to apply 

 the system in a few isolated cases. In the original Strick- 

 landian code it was provided that wherever a specific name was 

 elevated to generic rank, a new specific name must be found. 

 At the Meeting of the British Association in 1865, this rule 

 was reversed, and it was enacted that the specific name so pro- 



