( xc ) 



2. Forms found together in certain geographical areas and 

 not in other areas. Such groups may be called Synqxdric (o-w, 

 together ; Trarpa, native country). The occurrence of forms 

 together may be termed SyinjxUry, and the discontinuous 

 distribution of similar forms Asympatry. 



3. Forms which freely inter-breed together. These may 

 be conveniently called Syngamic. {a-vv, together ; ya/^o?, 

 marriage). Free inter-breeding under natural conditions may 

 be termed Syngamy ; its cessation or absence, Asyngamy 

 (equivalent to the Amixia of Weismann). 



4. Forms which have been shown by human observation 

 to be descended from common ancestoi-s. Such groups may be 

 called Synepigonic (crw, together; lmyovo<i, descendant). Breed- 

 ing from common parents may be spoken of as Epigony or 

 the production of Epigonic evidence.* 



My friend, Professor E. Ray Lankester, to whom I owe 

 so much, in this as in many other subjects, is inclined to 

 think that we should discard the word species not merely 

 momentarily but altogether. Modern zoology having aban- 

 doned Linnaeus' conception of *' species " should, he considers, 

 abandon the use of the word. In his opinion the " origin " 

 of species was really the abolition of species, and zoologists 

 should now be content to describe, name, draw, and catalogue 

 forms. Furthermore, the various groups of forms briefly 

 defined above should be separately and distinctly treated by 

 the zoologist, without confusion or inference from one to the 

 other. The systematist should say, " I describe and name 

 certain forms a, h, etc." ; and then he or another may write 

 a separate chapter, as it were : — "I now show that the forms 

 ah, ac, ad (form names) are syngamic : " at another time he 

 may give reason for regarding any of them as related by 

 epigony. 



I fear that this suggestion is a "counsel of perfection," 

 impossible of attainment, although there would be many 



* My friend ilr. Arthur Sidgwick has kindly helped me by suggesting 

 the appropriate Greek words. The use of iiri-yovos I owe to my friends 

 Mr. Arthur Evans and Mr. R. W. Macan. The adjectival termination is 

 made -ic throughout for the sake of convenience, although Syvipatriotg or 

 S'ympatrid would have been more correct. 



