PROCEEDINGS FOR 18% XIX 



lies along a coast, it is out of equilibrium and tends to spread more 

 widely over the surface unless restrained by some cause from doing so. 

 The direction of the Lower St. Lawrence itself, as the prevailing winds 

 are westerly, would tend to keep the outflowing water of less density to 

 the southeastern side. This reason does not hold in the open gulf 

 however, as the direction of the prevailing winds in summer is south- 

 westerly, which is across the direction that the water takes, and must 

 tend to make it extend further out into the gulf than it would otherwise 

 do. It ma.y be noted, however, that the positions in which this water is 

 found are in accord with the influence of the rotation of the earth. In 

 passing down the Lower St. Lawrence it makes towards the north, and 

 the moving water is therefore impelled to the right, or against the south- 

 eastern shore, while after rounding the (laspé peninsula, the southing 

 in its course towards the ocean would make it tend from the same cause 

 to keep towards the southwestern coast of the gulf. It is not impossible 

 ihat this influence may have some ap^îreciable ettect. as the mean latitude 

 in the regions under consideration is 48° north. 



It may not be possible to do more at present than to suggest an 

 explanation, by indicating as above such causes as are known to operate. 

 When the conditions themselves throughout the course of the year are 

 better known, more complete and satisfactory explanations may be found 

 to account for them. 



14. Zoological Nomenclature. 



The Eoyal Society has been asked by Mr. Charles Wardell Stiles, 

 Zoologist of the Bureau of Animal Industry at Washington, to appoint 

 one of its Fellows to act as a member of an advisory committee to con- 

 sider the question of zoological nomenclature, which is now under the 

 consideration of an international commission of five members appointed 

 by the International Zoological Congress, Avhich meets some time this year 

 in Europe. Mr. Stiles is a delegate to the congress, and states in his 

 circular on the subject : 



1. That it is not the intention to overturn, or attemj^t to overturn, 

 existing and well established practices in nomenclature. 



2. That the proposition to consider the nomenclature has been based 

 on the recognized facts that there are differences of opinion, that there 

 are various interpretations of the code in several countries, and that some 

 of the translations have not been quite exact. 



3. That, with a view of clearing up these and other points. Professor 

 Schulze, of Berlin, pressed the necessity of a committee of inquiry, and 

 the advisability of having an authorized edition of the code in English, 

 French and German. 



4. That the report of the commission is not final, but is subject to the 

 action of the next International Congress to be held in Great Britain in 

 1898. 



