4^0 Correspondence. [ Oct' 



which bears this name was discovered by J. K. Townsend, who named it 

 Fringilla bicolor, unaware that Linnaeus had previously applied the same 

 name to another species. The mistake was detected many years later by 

 Stejneger, who substituted for the untenable name bicolor the tenable 

 name tnelattocorys. There are here three separate entities : {a) a large, 

 black-and-white finch for whose discovery and description Townsend is 

 responsible, {b) a specific name bicolor applied to this bird by Townsend, 

 and (c) a specific name melajiocorys applied to the same bird by Stejneger. 

 The finch belongs to the realm of zoology', its discovery and first descrip- 

 tion to that of history, while the two names are the concern of nomen- 

 clature. As the earlier of these is untenable it is rejected in favor of the 

 later, for which Stejneger alone is authority, regardless of the fact that he 

 had nothing whatever to do with the discovery and description of that 

 particular black-and-white finch to which he applied the name melanocorys. 

 I have gone into considerable detail with this example, because, remarkably 

 enough, it seems necessary to force home the truth that nomenclature is 

 like a good shoemaker who sticks close to his last and busies himself with 

 matters historical, botanical, and zoological so far only as they aid him in 

 understanding and manipulating the materials of his calling. 



If therefore the name of the discoverer of a species is of so little moment 

 when he himself has published his discovery, why should it acquire 

 importance when he has published nothing.' 



As I have attempted to show, the citation of the writer of a manuscript 

 name, when he is not also the publisher, accomplishes no purpose in 

 harmony with the aims of nomenclature. The double citation of writer 

 and publisher together introduces an irrelevant element, and where the 

 burden to memory is already so great, any addition without compensating 

 gain is to be avoided. Finally the single citation of the publisher alone 

 fulfils an important end. 



Very truly yours, 



Gerrit S. Miller, Jr. 

 U. S. Departme7it of Agriculture, Was/iington, D. C. 



