130 PROCEEDINGS OF THE MALACOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



4. " Desciiptions of six new species of Marine Mollusca from the 

 collection of the late Admiral Keppel." By G. B. Sowcrhy, F.L.S. 



5. " Note on Voluta Brazieri, Cox." By E. A. Smith, I.S.O. 



6. " On the Boris planata of Alder & Hancock." By Six- C. N. E. 

 Eliot, K.C.M.G. 



7. "Description of a Helicoid Land-Shell {Xanthomelon BednalU) 

 from Central Australia." By J. H. Ponsonhy. 



SUMMARY OF THE DISCUSSION AT THE MEETING HELD ON 

 JUNE 10th upon THE TWO FOLLOWING QUESTIONS OF 

 NOMENCLATURE. 



By R. H. BuRNE, B.A. 



I. — A species is described as helonging to genus A and is suhsequenthj 

 transferred to genus B, in which there is already a species bearing 

 the same name. Which species, assuming that the one described 

 in genus A is prior in date, requires a new name ? 



The President prefaced the discussion by giving in detail the case 

 (Hedley, Mem. Austral. Mus., iv, p. 389) upon which the question 

 was founded. 



The discussion was opened by Mr, E. A. Smith, I.S.O., who main- 

 tained that the name of prior date should stand, because a describer is 

 supposed to ascertain what species fall into the genus the species of 

 which he is describing, although they may have been placed in other 

 genera. 



Mr. G. B. Sowerby concurred, insisting that the law of specific 

 priority should always be maintained. 



Dr. W. T. Blanford, C.I.E., was entirely of the same opinion, and 

 pointed out that if the reverse rule (priority in the genus) were 

 followed, most of the old specific names, those for instance of Linnaeus, 

 would have to be altered. 



Mr. Bullen Newton, Mr. Melvill, Mr, Da Costa, and the President 

 having spoken in the same sense, letters dealing with this question, 

 received from corresponding and ordinary members and others, were 

 read : — 



The opinion expressed by Professor Boettger that "the species 

 described in genus A and subsequently transferred to genus B retains 

 its name because prior in date, and the species in genus B, because 

 posterior in date, requires a new name," was also held by Professor 

 Brusina, M. Cossmann, W. H. Dall, Ph. Dautzenberg, W. E. Hoyle, 

 A. J. Jukes-Browne, Professor Maehrenthal, S, Pace, H, A, Pilsbry, 

 C. W. Stiles, and B. B. Woodward. 



Professor Brusina further remarked that, although this is correct 

 theoretically, it is even more necessary from the practical standpoint, 

 as genera and subgenera will for long be unstable quantities, and will 

 in the future undergo many transformations, as their limits are 



