88 NATURAL SCIENCE. August, 



direction. Heferangium seems the more ancient, and is certainly 

 nearer the fern stock, while Lyginodendvon " has advanced much further 

 on cycadean lines," retaining at the same time conspicuous fern-like 

 characters. " This view by no means involves the improbable 

 assumption that these plants were the actual ancestors of existing 

 Cycadeae." 



Plant Nomenclature Again. 



Seventy-four botanists across the Atlantic have risen in revolt 

 against the new American system of plant nomenclature to which we 

 have already several times referred. In their manifesto they strongly 

 urge postponement of any radical measures of reform which are 

 based on purely theoretical grounds. It is easy enough to alter old 

 and well-known plant names to suit this or that modern code of 

 regulations, but impossible to set aside the old books which must 

 always remain the historic basis of classification. What with the 

 extremely diffuse literature, frequent insufficiency of description, and 

 want of types or of authorised specimens, the poor systematist has 

 enough to bear without the additional burden of remembering as 

 many sets of names as there are codes of nomenclature ; for about 

 these matters there is no finality. There will always be the smooth- 

 handed agitator who has a soul above or a capacity beneath honest 

 work. Some of these gentlemen have lately been revising ordinal 

 names on principles laid down by themselves. We are glad to note 

 that the first suggestion in the circular in question is that " ordinal 

 names, having been established by long usage, should not be sub- 

 jected to revision upon theoretical grounds." The other rules 

 provide for the retention of long-established and well-known 

 generic names, and the use of the first correct combination in specific 

 nomenclature, and refuse to allow the competition of varietal with 

 specific names, and the retrospective use of the principle "once a 

 synonym always a synonym." The length to which some folk will 

 go is well exemplified in a recent number of Erythea, in which a 

 writer takes exception to certain names proposed for some new 

 species. Several are Latin and Greek hybrids, and one is a latinised 

 form of a Mexican place-name. It is possible to imagine more 

 euphonious combinations ; but, apart from the mere name, were they 

 the worst sounding conceivable, or constructed in violation of every 

 rule of orthography, no one is justified in replacing them off-hand 

 without examining the plants and ascertaining in the first place 

 whether a new name be required. No botanist, with any self- 

 respect, would thus become responsible for species in a critical genus. 



A Nominalist ! 

 The following precious note appears on p. 498 of The American 

 Naturalist for May, 1895 • — 



