112 Notes and News. [jan 



of borrowing his type or journeying to his collection to see it, before they 

 can tell what he is talking about and the advance of ornithological science 

 is impeded. 



Usually a very little additional labor on the part of the author is all that 

 is necessary to avoid all this trouble. Let us take a concrete example: 

 A new form "b" is named and described as "similar to 'a' but larger" 

 and a type specimen and locality are added. We have a specunen from 

 another locality which is also "similar to 'a' but larger." We cannot tell 

 whether it is identical with "b" or not. It maj' really differ more in size 

 from "b" than the latter does from "a." 



Now the describer of "b" must have measured both "b" and "a." If 

 he did not his work is so careless that he had no right to describe the new 

 form at all. If he did measure them it would be very little trouble to add 

 the measurements to his diagnosis. When an author has decided that a 

 form is new, nine-tenths of his work is done, and it is a duty he owes to 

 science to complete the work by presenting all the data that governed him 

 in naming it. 



Some years ago a plea was circulated among scientific journals asking 

 them to refuse to publish new genera unless a type species was designated. 

 It would seem that some similar radical step must soon be taken with regard 

 to these inadequately described new species and subspecies. 



It is not necessary to draw up long verbose descriptions, often a few 

 words embodying definite measurements and definite color values are all 

 that are necessary, combined with a comparison with nearly allied forms. 



If authors would realize that the advancement of science should stand 

 ahead of the greed for names or types we should have no more of this 

 inexcusable, slovenly work. 



Let it be hoped that in future it will be generally recognized that an 

 author who is guilty of such work invites a reputation for carelessness and 

 inaccuracy and that a journal which lends itself to such publication lessens 

 its dignity. There are comparatively few ornithologists who are offenders 

 but they set a very bad example. Let us hope that they may realize the 

 evil of this sort of work and that all ornithologists and editors will stand 

 together in strenuous opposition to its continuance. 



The Congo Expedition of the American Museum of Natural History has 

 reached a most successful conclusion; and Mr. Herbert Lang, its leader, 

 returned to New York on Nov. 12 last, after more than six years of 

 uninterrupted work in the Congo Basin. His assistant, Mr. James P. 

 Chapin, had preceded him by some 7 months. All their collections, in 

 spite of the dangers and difficulties caused by the struggle in Europe, 

 have arrived safely at the Museum; and it speaks well for conditions in the 

 Belgian Congo that the party can boast of not having lost a single box of 

 collections, even during the very long overland stages in the Congo, where 

 not a few of them were carried for a distance of 50 days march. 



This enterprise was carried on with the cooperation of the Belgian 



