Vol. XIIIT r> , t -j 



(gg6 Recent Literature. 9 2 £ 



It cannot be said with absolute certainty that the reddish phase 

 was "entirely independent of age, sex, or season," and hence an 

 example of 'individual dichromatism ' ; but if due to such normal 

 and universal laws as any of the above, the fact of a change of 

 color in the individual could hardly have escaped the notice of 

 ornithologists, while if caused by the ordinary conditions of cap- 

 tivity it must have been recognized long since. The evidence, 

 therefore, seems to be almost conclusive that this Owl was an 

 instance of what I have for convenience called ' individual dichro- 

 matism '; and also that this condition is probably infrequent, and 

 doubtless due to some unknown element, not common even in 

 captivity. 



( To be concluded?) 



RECENT LITERATURE. 



Sclater on Rules for Naming Animals. 1 ■ — At the meeting of the Zoolog- 

 ical Society of London, held March 6, 1S96, the special topic assigned for 

 discussion was the Code of Rules for Zoological Nomenclature adopted 

 by the German Zoological Society, or rather the discrepancies between 

 these rules and those of the Stricklandian Code, with a view to their 

 possible reconciliation. The discussion was opened by Dr. Sclater, who 

 appears to have made the principal address of the evening, and who was 

 followed by other speakers. 



The discussion, it may be remarked, was apropos of the new work 

 planned by the German Zoological Society, called 'Das Tierreich,' which 

 is to comprise the synonymy, the geographical range, and short' descrip- 

 tions of every known species of animal. It is, of course, of the highest 

 importance in a standard work of this magnitude that the rules of 

 nomenclature adopted shall be such as will command the respect of the 

 greatest possible number of workers ; for it is Utopian to expect that any 

 code of rules can be devised at present, if ever, that will receive unani- 

 mous endorsement. As preliminary to its work the German Zoological 



1 Remarks on the Divergencies between the " Rules for naming Animals " of 

 the German Zoological Society and the Stricklandian Code of Nomenclature. 

 By P. L. Sclater. Proc. of the Zool. Soc. of London, 1896, pp. 306-319. 



