1891.J Editorial. 267 



to germinate in this, but when washed with pure water sev- 

 eral times they germinated. These experiments suggest that 

 perhaps fungi can be successfully combated with fungicides of 

 far less strength than now employed. 



BRIEFER ARTICLES. 



Olitfouoma,— In my recent paper upon the new species of Mr. 

 Pringle's last year's collection in Mexico I founded a new genus. 

 Oligoncma, upon a remarkable asteroid composite. I supposed that I 

 had taken all possible pains to make sure that the name was not pre- 

 occupied, but I have since learned through the kindness of Mr. C. F. 

 Peck that there is a genus of the same name among the Myxomycctes, 

 established by Rostafinski. As it is necessary, therefore, to make a 

 change, I propose to substitute the meaningless name Golionema, 

 formed by simply changing the position of a single letter and in some 

 degree suggestive of the original. The new species consequently 

 becomes (iolionema heteropliylliim.— Sereno Watson, Cambridge, 



Massachusetts. 



EDITORIAL. 



i^ 4 ft _ ~* J*. -*- ^_^ wm ^ ^— ^m — — 



Those are not particularly difficult questions which Professor Mac- 



Millan asks in " Open Letters." 



The only answer to the first is, " that depends." The answer is cer- 

 tainly not to be found in any cast-iron rules, though the inexperienced 

 may fondly imagine so. If we understand the problems of nomen- 

 clature they require ajudicial attitude on the part of the student. He 

 has a code of laws— doubtless imperfect; doubtless capable of improve- 

 ment by the application of the two decades of experience which has 

 been acquired since they were framed— and by the principles set forth 

 in this code he is to be guided. In addition to the code he is to use 

 his common sense — if he has any — in determining what name is to 

 stand. What were the use of the judge on the bench if he have no 

 discretion in the interpretation, application or even suspension of the 

 law in particular cases? To say that the laws of nomenclature are to 

 be inflexible and of universal applicability is quite as absurd a^ to 

 endeavor to make civil statutes so. It would be wonderfully con- 

 venient if this could be attained, even with the law of priority, but it 

 seems quite impossible to secure rigidity without absurdity. 



