490 ' R. S. BREED AND H. J. CONN 



between Actinomyce and Actinomyces is sufficient to cause 

 them to be regarded as distinct under the International Botanical 

 Code, Chapter III, Article 57. 1 We find that the same thing 

 also holds true under the International Zoological Code, Article 

 36, 2 a fact that shows general and international acceptance of 

 this view. 



Although the stem words from which Actinomyce and Acti- 

 nomyces are derived have identical meaning in the original 

 Greek, "myce" is derived from the less commonly used feminine 

 word, nvKii, while "myces" comes from the masculine noun, 

 /IUK77S. Thus the two generic terms in question ought not to be 

 regarded as homonyms as is done by Merrill and Wade. This 

 view we find has already been expressed by Giissow (1914) in 

 a paper which we had overlooked, and is confirmed by those 

 authorities with whom we have consulted. This being the case 

 legislative action by an International Congress is unnecessary. 

 Actinomyces Harz is valid without such action and should be 

 retained rather than Discomyces Rivolta. 



REFERENCES 



Breed, R. S., and Conn, H. J. 1919 The nomenclature of the Actinomyce- 



taceae. J. Bact., 4, 5S5-602. 

 Gussow, H. T. 1914 The systematic position of the organism of the common 



potato scab. Science, N. S., 39, 431-433. 

 Merrill, E. D., and Wade, H. W. 1919 The validity of the name Discomyces 



for the genus of fungi variously called Actinomyces, Streptothrix and 



Nocardia. Philippine Jour. Sci., 14, 56-69. 



1 'The original spelling of the name must be retained, except in the case of 

 a typographic or orthographic error. When the difference between two names, 

 especially two generic names, lies in the termination, these names are to be 

 regarded as distinct even though differing by one letter only. Example : Rubia 

 and Rubus, Monochaete and Monochaetum, Peponia and Peponium, Iria and 

 Iris." 



2 "Recommendations. It is well to avoid the introduction of new generic 

 names which differ from generic names already in use only in termination or in 

 slight variation in spelling which might lead to confusion. But when once intro- 

 duced, such names are not to be rejected on this account. Examples: Picus, 

 Pica; Polyodus, Polyodon, Polyodonta, Polyodontas, Polyodontus." 



