NOMENCLATURE OF FUNGI. 415 



confounded with the whole. The proper name of a fungus is that 

 which is correct (according to our knowledge) both in its generic 

 and specific portion, and must be taken in its entirety. When the 

 generic name is changed the specific name is transferred to the 

 new genus, or, as the International Botanic Paris Congiess diiects, 

 that when a species is transferred from one genus to another the 

 specific name is maintained. But it sometimes happens, amid the 

 mass of synonyms, that the generic and specific name of a species 

 have both been changed, and the latest classifier has adopted anew 

 genus without associating with it the very oldest specific natne. 

 In such a case, if the name has become established, it would be 

 folly to disturb it for the mere purpose of giving it a flavor of 

 antiquity. In the report of the Conifer Conference in 189i Dr. 

 Masters says : — " ' Priority ' has generally been respected, but when 

 associated with inaccuiate or inadequate publication, or when rigid 

 adherence to it would be more likely to induce confusion than to 

 facilitate research, to check rather than advance knowledge, then 

 it has been disregarded or tieated as obsolete." And Horace h^ng 

 before decided that "• Use is lord and rightlvil arbiter of words," 

 Why not of names? 



So much for the names themselves, and now for the authority 

 for the name. It is customary to ajipend the name of the first 

 describer to indicate exactly the particular species meant, as the 

 same name has often been given to two distinct species by different 

 authors. (It has occasionally happened that the same name has 

 been given to the same fungus by two distinct authors, as in the 

 case of " Native bread," Cooke and Massee having named and 

 described it 9.8 Poly por us MyUttce in ' Grevillea " for December, 

 1892, and Professor Saccardo gave it the same name in " Hedwigia " 

 for March, 1893.) But when the original describer has not 

 correctly classified the species then the name of the correct 

 classifier replaces that of the original describer. This seems a 

 reasonable position to take up, although the nomenclature generally 

 adopted in fungi is to give the name of the original describer in 

 parentheses, followed by the name of the correct classifier. 

 Professor Saccardo in his rules to phytographers in " Hedwigia" for 

 January, 1891, distinctly states : — " The name of the original author 

 of a species that has been removed to another genus should be 

 given in parentheses as the author of the species, and outside the 

 parentheses should be placed the name of the person who 

 transferred the species to another genus." It is thus a question of 

 relative merit, but botanical authorities are by no means agreed as 

 to who should hold the first place — the original describer or the 

 correct classifier. Thus, Sir Joseph Hooker says in his preface to 

 " The Flora of British India " : — " The number of species 

 described by authors w'ho cannot determine their affinities increases 

 annually, and I regard the naturalist who puts a described plant 

 into its proper position, in regard to its alliance, is rendering a 



