YOl "l9lf XV ] Notes and NeWS - ^07 



obtain in the normal behavior of fluctuational variation. This is, as 

 everyone knows, a formidable problem, one that is likely never to be solved 

 to our complete satisfaction because of some of just those difficulties that 

 Dwight complains of throughout the paper cited. But we are going to 

 approach far closer to the ideal than the present stage — provided the 

 work of the open-minded, painstaking yet optimistic student continues 

 to dominate the field. 



Joseph Grinnell. 

 California Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, 

 July 9, 1918. 



A Correction. 



Editor of 'The Auk': 



My thanks are due to Mr. Alexander Wetmore, not alone for the pleasure, 

 shared with other readers of ' The Auk,' in perusing his valuable con- 

 tribution on 'The Birds of Desecheo Island, Porto Rico,' but also for hav- 

 ing therein called my attention to a hitherto overlooked slip of the pen in 

 my article 'A Day on De Cicheo Island' (Oologist, 1900), whereby (page 

 117, second paragraph), I referred to the "Sooty Tern" instead of to the 

 Noddy, as should have been the case. This error certainly requires cor- 

 rection, even at this late date. 



Of course the character of the slip is at once apparent on referring to my 

 paper on the 'Birds of Porto Rico' (Auk, 1902-93), wherein (1902, pages 

 357-358) the Sooty Tern is correctly recorded as noted only on Mona 

 Island, the Bridled Tern and Noddy, however, having been noted on both 

 Mona and Desecheo Islands. 



B. S. Bowdish. 

 Newark, N. J., July 11, 1918. 



NOTES AND NEWS. 



All readers of 'The Auk' are familiar with the changes which are con- 

 tinually being proposed in the technical names of our birds and are doubtless 

 reminded of the old saying that 'A rose by any other name will smell as 

 sweet.' Those actively interested in nomenclature know that many of 

 these proposed changes, as well as similar ones in other branches of zoology 

 and botany, are necessary in order to conform to the rules adoped to bring 

 about uniformity in scientific nomenclature. What strides have been 

 made toward uniformity and stability in bird names under these rules 

 may be realized by comparing the 'Hand-List' of the B. O. U. and the 

 A. O. U. 'Check-List' (cf. Auk, 1915, p. 243). 



Other proposed changes involving the acceptance or rejection of newly 

 described races, subdivisions of genera etc., depend upon individual opinion 

 and can only be decided by an authoritative list prepared by a committee 



