Eidgway on Zoological Nomenclature. 133 



The use of «. third name, in combination with the specific and ge- 

 neric, to designate a " race " or " subspecies," has been objected to on 

 the ground of its being opposed to the Linnsean canons of nomencla- 

 ture ; but, so far from this being the case, we find that Linnseus fre- 

 quently gave names to what he considered as races or " vai'ieties " of a 

 species, prefixing the letters of the Greek alphabet. As an example, 

 we find in the twelfth edition of " Systema Naturse " (1766), on pages 

 270 and 271, that Linnams recognizes seven forms of " Phasiamis 

 gallus." The first of these he terms simply Phasiamis gallus, the 

 others being cristatus (3., ecaitdatus y., morio 8., lunata €., pusillus £., 

 and crtspus -q. ; each being accompanied by its diagnosis. Others of 

 the older authors, whose works were published subsequent to the 

 twelfth edition of the " Systema Naturae," and who adopt the Lin- 

 nsean system, follow the same plan. Numerous instances may be 

 found in Gmelin (178S). On pages 589, 590, of Latham's "Index 

 Ornithologicus " (Vol. II, 1790), the domestic Pigeon is termed 

 " Columba domestical being species " 2 " of the genus Cohtmba. 

 Twenty varieties of this species are named, as follows : "2/3. livia" 

 " 2 y. rupicola" " 2 8. hispanica" " 2 c. dasypus," et seq. The four- 

 teen varieties of the domestic Fowl (" Phasiamis gall us "), are named 

 after the same manner on pages 626-628. In other instances, 

 both Linnaeus and Latham indicate the different forms supposed to 

 belong to one species simply by the Greek charactei'S, followed by a 

 diagnosis, references, and habitat (e. g. Strepsilas interpres, ft., y., 

 and 8. ; Lath., Ind. Orn., II, pp. 738, 739). 



The term " var. n between the specific name and that of the race 

 is objectionable, from the fact that a " variety " is properly " a dif- 

 ference not permanent or invariable, but occasioned by an accidental 

 change " ; * and in this sense would apply only to individuals pre- 

 senting some abnormal variation, as albinism, melanism, erythrism, or 

 some unusual form of bill, foot, etc., having little, if any, relation 

 to geographical distribution. As affording a suitable example, the 

 two common North American forms of Colaptes (auratus and mexi- 

 canus) may be cited, restricted to either side of the continent, but 

 along the line of junction (or, rather, merging) of their respective 

 habitats intergrading in a wholly promiscuous way, few specimens, 

 apparently, perfectly typical of either form, being found in this 

 neutral territory ; not only this, but specimens of this intermediate 



* Webster. 



