156 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



fusion about this, but the issue is now clearly stated. Some 

 authors have revived homonyms ; the rules state that the 

 homonym never lived, and it cannot be revived. To take an 

 example: "Trichina, Owen, 1835, nematode, is rejected as 

 homonym of Trichina, Meigen, 1830, insect." Supposing that 

 it were thought that Meigen's insect genus had previously been 

 named something else, then his name would be a synonym, and 

 would be suppressed ; but this would not validate Owen's name 

 for the worm. Supposing, again, that after further examination it 

 was found advisable to separate the group Meigen indicated 

 from the older genus in which it had been merged, then his 

 Trichina would be revived. You cannot kill a synonym — you 

 can only suppress it ; and it may always come to life again. My 

 impression is that a good many names in use amongst us will be 

 changed by this rule, for the clear distinction between homonym 

 and synonym has not been clearly appreciated by some previous 

 rules. 



The constant changes made in the past in nomenclature are 

 a crying evil ; but it is not easy to suggest any ready way out 

 of the difficulty and to prevent further changes. It has been 

 suggested by those who would cut the Gordian knot that if a 

 name had not been used for some years — say, fifty — it should 

 be regarded as dead ; but even if this were a rule we should be 

 still likely to be disturbed by the discovery that in some obscure 

 publication some author had used it, perhaps through ignorance. 

 Another suggestion is that a definite list of genera and species 

 should be drawn up and accepted as authoritative. This implies 

 that all views on classification must be settled correctly, at once 

 and for ever — that new work must never unsettle the old ; but 

 science will cease to be science when it submits to the impress 

 of the dead hand, and we must consent to changes in names, but 

 may still hope to considerably limit them. 



DESCRIPTION OF A NEW BIRD OF PARADISE.* 



By Alfred J. North, C.M.Z.S., Ornithologist, Australian 



Museum, Sydney. 



(With plate.) 



{Read hefvre the Field Naturalists' Cluh of Victoria, Wth Dec, 1905.) 



Paradisea granti, sp. nov. 



Adult male. — General colour above rich straw colour; sides of 

 lower back vinous-brown ; scapulars and least wing-coverts vinous- 

 brown, with an ashy shade and washed with straw colour ; median 

 coverts rich straw colour ; greater coverts and quills chestnut- 



* Contributions from the Australian Museum, Ly permission of the Trustees. 



