Vol-^XXXIj ^Qigg and News. 147 



In revising its Code the A. O. U. Committee recognized the great difficul- 

 ties involved in this problem. On the one hand is the confusion of having 

 a number of names so nearly alike that it is difficult to distinguish them 

 either by sight or sound, and on the other the difficulty of deciding just 

 how great a difference in spelUng shall constitute a recognizably different 

 name. The only method that appeared practical was to state certain 

 classes of differences which are to be recognized as establishing different 

 names in nomenclature and certain others which are not. This was done 

 in remarks xmder Canon XXX, and the classes cover probably a large 

 majority of the cases that will occur. 



It will thus be seen that the A. O. U. Committee did not repudiate the 

 International Code but only a 'Recommendation' of the International 

 Commission. They found themselves able to go further in the matter of 

 an official vote on this question than the International Commission did 

 and embodied in a 'Canon' what the latter body was compelled to leave 

 an open question. This in no way affects ultimate agreement upon any 

 more definite method of settling the question that may be suggested in the 

 future. 



In a similar way the A. O. U. Committee found the ' elimination method' 

 of fixing genotypes as set forth in the International Code indefinite, in- 

 asmuch as it left the method of applying elimination entirely to personal 

 opinion, with necessarily conflicting results. The A. O. U. Committee 

 therefore adopted in their revised Code the 'first species method' which 

 yielded definite results. The International Commission recognized the 

 weakness of elimination and at their next meeting adopted the method 

 of 'subsequent designation.' This was at once substituted by the A. O. U. 

 for the 'first species method' in the interests of uniformity both being 

 definite methods. 



This statement is made to show that instead of being antagonistic the 

 history of the two codes has ever been one of harmony. Indeed so closely 

 are they in agreement that the A. O. U. has never felt the necessity of 

 adopting by name either the International Code or the Opinions, the latter 

 however have been regularly accepted by the Committee so far as they 

 affected the American Check-List, as fast as they were published. 



Messrs. Witherby & Co., 326 High Holbom, London, W. C. announce 

 the pubhcation of a work on 'Indian Pigeons and Doves' by E. C. Stuart 

 Baker, with twenty-six coloured plates and over 200 pages. This will be a 

 <jompanion volume to Mr. Baker's 'Indian Ducks and their Allies.' Price 

 £2, 10s. net. 



The "Chicago Ornithological Society" was organized by ornithologists 

 of Chicago and its vicinity in December, 1912, with the following officers: 

 President, Dr. R. M. Strong; Vice-presidents, Mr. L. J. DeVine and Mr. 

 G. L. Abbott; Secretary-Treasurer, Mr. Ralph Chaney; Corresponding 

 Secretary, Mrs. P. B. Coffin. The society has imdertaken among other 



