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arranging themselves. All that trinomialism promises is, besides giving the name 

 or number distinguishing the given form, to show the subordinate arrangement ; 

 not only, to continue our former metaphor, to indicate the pigeon-holes where the 

 record of our knowledge lies, but also to show in what compartment of a given 

 pigeon-hole our special information may be found. 



So far as I see at present, there is no valid objection to trinomialism save 

 aversion to change from established usage. But surely convenience ranks above 

 conservatism. If science progresses, so must its usages. As knowledge becomes 

 enlarged, and finds itself bound to observe more minute dififerences, it is also 

 bound to adopt means to keep its discoveries more easy of reference. And this is 

 the raison d'itre of trinomialism. 



It is perhaps in the employment of the principles of trinomialism that the 

 greatest bar to its adoption will be found ; and in this regard I cannot do better 

 than quote the words in which Dr. Coues has formulated "the definite principle 

 and rule of action in the application of trinomials." He says (Zoologist, July, 

 1884, p. 243) : " The third term of the technical name is given to climatic or geo-' 

 graphical races, varying according to known conditions, as latitude, elevation, 

 temperature, moisture, and conditions of all sorts. The practice, therefore, has 

 a logical basis, a consistent possibility of strict scientific application. It appears 

 to me," he goes on, " to be a simple, natural and easy way of disposing of a large 

 number of intermediate forms which have not become specifically distinct from 

 their respective nearest allies. It is quite true that the recognition of this result 

 of climatic conditions is largely a matter of tact and judgment, and that it is not 

 always possible to say whether a yiven organism is or is not ' specifically ' distinct 

 from another." If, indeed, a right use of trinomials be not made, of course the 

 adoption of the practice will be » greater evil than the very confusion which it has 

 been introduced to remedy ; so true is the old monkish adage, Corruptio optimi est 

 pessima. 



The chief question to my mind is, whether trinomialism, as at present under- 

 stood, goes far enough. Science extends her empire so rapidly that even this 

 device may hereafter prove insufficient. But it is undoubtedly a step in the right 

 direction, and it behoves us all to look forward as well as back ; and as a ready 

 means of cataloguing discoveries already made, I tliink we ought to hail it, not 

 with cavilling, but with delight. It is too late now to refuse trinomialism a trial ; 

 if it fails to stand the ordeal through which it must pass, let it fail through its 

 own insufficiency, and not from our temporary antas^onism. 



The changes that may come after the definite adoption of the doctrine of 

 trinomialism I dare not prophesy. But it seems to me to be only logical that, 

 when we have admitted subspecies, we should also admit subgenera ; as botanists 

 have long done, to the infinite elucidation of their department of biology. And 

 then, again, we shall have to acknowledge varieties, or minutely diflferentiated 

 forms, below the rank even of subspecies. Nor is the power of man to produce 

 alteration of very obvious characteristics to be neglected; for instance, the 

 domestic fowl and pigeon have been so varied from their respective prototypes 

 that the actual wild form of each is not quite beyond the province of conjecture ; 



