156 Miscellaneous. 
« Rules,” it may be worth while to collect the experience of workers 
in different branches of science. 
The nomenclature of Mollusca is not only in a most unsettled con- 
dition, but there seems no hope of bringing leading writers to an 
agreement on any first principles. Dr. Gray, whose contributions 
to malacology are second to none, and whose position at the head 
of the department in the British Museum would alone give the 
greatest weight to his example, has systematically ignored the 
principles on : which the British Association Rules are based. 'The 
Messrs. Adams in England, Morch in Copenhagen, many of the Ger- 
man and most of the rising American naturalists take the same 
course. In France the influence of Lamarck has restrained the 
modern antiquarian innovation. 
Existing writers may be divided into two classes—(1) those who 
profess the absolute law of priority, and (2) those who accept it 
with limitations. 
The advocates of “ mere priority ”’ claim that their rule is the only 
one which admits of fixed application. It is granted that, if limita- 
tions are once allowed, there will be differences of opinion as to their 
amount: but does the refusal of limitations produce uniformity ? 
Putting aside the variations of opinion as to the greater or less divi- 
sion of genera, how can authors be brought to agree as to wherein the 
naming of a form consists? Those who compare Dr. Gray’s ‘ Guide’ 
with Ndaane? ‘ Genera,’ or Dr. Gray’s generic names at one date with 
his names at another, will find that the mere-priority rule is thoroughly 
uncertain in its application, principally in consequence of the very 
loose definitions, and probably loose ideas, of the early writers. A 
modern author ¢hinks that Klein or Link meant by a certain name a 
genus existing in his own mind, which he accordingly calls Tatts, 
Klein. But a second author thinks (and is quite sure he is right in 
thinking) that Taxis, AJein, means what is now considered a differ- 
ent genus, and alters the first author’s series of names accordingly. 
Perhaps Klein meant neither the first, nor the second, nor both ; 
but had a vague idea which it is now only confusing to endeavour to 
reproduce. ‘The mere-priority writers often judge of the old authors 
by their types or figures; but even the Linnean genera cannot thus 
be understood, and many authors place their typical species in the 
middle of the series. 
Once more, among the mere-priority writers, some accept a name 
only if published with description or figure; others, if the name be 
printed in a list or catalogue ; others, if the name be written in a 
public, and others, even in a private collection. But perhaps the 
namer has only spoken the name, or merely thought it; according 
to the strictest law of priority, might not even these claim precedence ? 
If the principle of limitation be once allowed, questions of detail 
can be debated and settled with tolerable ease ; and if one author 
calls his species Gray?, another grayi, and a third Gr ayana, we all 
know what is meant, and that may suffice. But if a modern author 
quotes a Cyclas, a Capsa, or a Siliquaria, who knows what is meant ? 
Nomenclature clearly is for usr, not for honour or fancy. That 
is the best which (1) expresses what it means, and (2) cannot mean 
