270 Notes and News. [^ 



Museum under a Committee of the British Association. We also have 

 to consider what is to be done when our list is completed. First of all, 

 it must constantly be kept up to date. It seems to us that some restric- 

 tion will have to be laid upon the place and manner of publication of 

 new specific names, and we would suggest that, when the time comes, 

 no specific name should be recognized unless it be entered by the author 

 at some central office, together with a properly published copy of the 

 work in which the description appears. The name would then be 

 checked, dated, and placed at once in the Index." 



This is very good, except the suggestion that "some restriction 

 will have to be laid upon the place and manner of publication of 

 new specific names," etc., which we consider both unwise and im- 

 practicable; for an author publishing in well known scientific journals 

 and the proceedings, etc., of scientific societies should not, and indeed 

 could not, be deprived of recognition simply because, through accident 

 or carelessness, or even disinclination, he should fail duly to report 

 at " some central office," of record, without overthrowing, the hitherto 

 universally recognized rules regarding what constitutes proper publica- 

 tion. It is enough that he conform to these, although for bis own inter- 

 est, he might well send copies of his publications to designated offices of 

 record. 



In the May number of the same publication (Nat. Sci., May, 1S96, p. 

 302), the editor has the following judicious comment, in reply to a corre- 

 spondent, respecting the 'Law of Priority.' "Obviously," he says, "some 

 such law is a necessity, if we are to avoid the multiplication of synonyms 

 or to have any attempt at a world-wide set of names. The difficulties in 

 the application of t he law are of two kinds, first, is it to be retrospective? 

 and, if not, where is the line to be drawn, and who is-to draw it? Secondly, 

 when authors have published unintelligible or doubtful descriptions, who 

 is to be the judge? These matters cannot be left to the individual caprice 

 of naturalists, even so distinguished as Mr. Cunningham. It is for this 

 reason that we made the proposal published in our last number. We 

 say, — let the Law of Priority work! in most cases it will answer. Then 

 let the doubtful cases be adjudicated on by specialists appointed ad hoc, 

 and let their decision be accepted. Fixity of nomenclature of course is 

 not anticipated, for that could be the result only of the stagnation of 

 systematic zoology. Nevertheless, the acceptance of our proposal would 

 do away with the changeableness that depends on mere whim, or on litera- 

 ture rather than on fact. We realize, indeed we have insisted, that the 

 full carrying out of our ideas cannot be yet; the index to all published 

 names must first be completed." 



Correspondents may be interested to know that the editor of 'The 

 Auk' will be absent on a European tour till about September 1. Letters 

 concerning 'The Auk' may be addressed to the Assistant Editor, Mr. 

 Frank M. Chapman. 



