202 



The Article J30 (g) of the International Rules of 

 Zoologieal Nonienclature. 



By C. W. Stiles, Wilmington, N, C, ü. S. A. 



The two opposing caraps in type-determination inav he desi- 

 gnated as the adherents of „elimination" and those of the „tirst 

 species" rufe. Everv etibrt has heen made for years to bring those 

 two camps together, but the attenipts have failed. Immediately prior 

 to and at the Boston Congress, the Status of the dilference of opinion 

 was nothing less than acute, and it looked very much as if there 

 would be a serious rupture aniong zoologists on the subject. This 

 condition induced me to propose to both sides that the Law of 

 Triority be applied to type designations, so that that species first 

 designated as type should be accepted as such, regardless of the fact 

 whethor it was designated by elimination, by the tirst species ruie, 

 by the rule of type by inclusion, or by any other rule. Several 

 caucuses were held with both factions prior to the nieeting of the 

 Commission at which this subject was brought up for discussion, 

 and both sides expressed themselves as satisfied with the proposition 

 and agreed to abide by it. lipon receiving assurances from the 

 leaders of both factions that they would unite on this Solution, 

 although neither side would surrender to the other, I brought the 

 matter up for discussion in the Commission and Article 30 (g) was 

 adopted as the safest plan that could be devised. 



To my mind it is the logical and most objective plan. Those 

 who differ with me on this point have their reasons for doing so, as 

 I have mino for supporting tho plan. We are at libcrty to rotain 

 our ditferent ideas, but the fact remains that the rule is now in the 

 Code, that the struggle between the two factions which has lasted for 

 years is now rapidly becoming a matter of past history, and that 

 the Commission has received assurances from many sources that we 

 foUowed the only course open to us which promised ultimate haimony. 



