I 9 2 Correspondence. [£* 



require the specific element of a species name to be changed whenever, 

 under the vicissitudes of name shifting, it was brought under the same 

 generic name as an earlier similar specific element of a species name 

 which had never been combined with the same generic element. To be 

 obliged to be constantly on the alert tor homonyms is bad enough, but 

 this is a triviality in comparison to the task of hunting out all previous 

 combinations that might possibly associate the specific element of a name 

 with other and entirely different generic combinations, to sav nothing of 

 the enormous element of uncertainty it would introduce into the matter 

 of stability of names through the purely personal element that is con- 

 stantly operative in changing the limits of genera. Finally, 1 know of 

 no code of nomenclature that provides for or requires a change of a 

 species name under conditions like those cited by Mr. Oberholser. — 

 J. A. A i. i. ion ] 



' Ord's Zoology' Again. 



To the Editors <>k 'The Auk": — ■ 



Dear Sirs, — In the Introduction to my Reprint of 'Ord's Zoology' 

 (1894, p. viii) it is stated that the only copy of this part of the second 

 American (1815) edition of Guthrie's ' Geography ' previously known to 

 authors had mysteriously disappeared from the library of the Academy of 

 Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. While searching for some references 

 in a bound volume (No. lit) of General Natural History Tracts at the 

 Academy, I lately chanced upon this missing copy of a rare and historic 

 bit of literature. The separate is the last (No. xvii ) of this volume of 

 Tracts. On the upper margin of the first page of the brochure (p. 291) 

 is written in lead pencil the autograph signature. "George Qrd," and in 

 lead pencil, apparently in another person's' writing, "from Guthrie's 

 Geography, Phil. Edition." In ink, in Cassin's hand, follow the words. 

 " Guthrie Geog. Philada. 1815." The separate probably had originally 

 attached to it, page 290, containing the introductory paragraph, and the 

 last leaf containing page 261, on which Ord's contribution ends, but 

 neither of these leaves are preserved. Owing to some oversight the 

 " author's " reference to this tract in our card catalogue contained no data 

 to indicate anything further than its former existence in the library, and 

 misled by this, it was supposed, after a fruitless search, that it had been 

 irretrievably lost. On finding the tract, however, it was discovered that 

 the full reference and data had been entered in the ' subject ' catalogue 

 under " Natural History of the United States" and so it escaped notice. 



1 Dr. E. J. Nolan declares this to be the handwriting of John Cassia, and a 

 careful comparison with Cassin's letters strongly supports this view. 



