$6 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY [March, 



to the stability of nomenclature are alike in the two cases. If 

 names are not to stand, whether apt or inapt, according to strict 

 priority, changes will be perpetual." 



So, no matter what changes advancing knowledge or changed 

 conditions may. suggest, the only thing that these people can ad- 

 vise is to observe strictly priority. If science has told a lie, stick 

 to it. We beg to sa}' that such scientists put themselves exactly 

 on the par with the colored gamin whom we saw selling dough- 

 nuts on Pennsylvania avenue Inauguration day. He kept 

 crying, "Hot doughnuts, year's your 'ot doughnuts." A cus- 

 tomer, having nearly broken a tooth in biting the frozen pastry, 

 called out : "Here, boy, these doughnuts are not hot." "I 

 knows it, boss," replied the urchin ; " that's just the name of 

 'em." So, like this ragged negro boy, the professors say that the 

 Mouse-tail is tniniinus^ and when a student remarks that the one 

 in hand is not the smallest, the professor can only respond, '• I 

 knows it, boss ; that's just the name of 'em." Then the professor 

 looks over his spectacles, utters some trash about the sacredness 

 of priority, and wants the student to respect him more than we 

 respect the lying street peddler. 



Titles of Microscopical Publications. — A good many 

 favorable responses have been received to our question in the 

 February number as to the desirability of such a list, and some 

 very valuable suggestions have been made. To satisfy those who 

 think that they would prefer a larger type, we now reprint the list 

 of February with a different type and with spaces between the 

 items. If the latter proves preferable to our readers in general, 

 we will continue in this style. The " Letters to the Editor" on 

 this subject have been crowded over from the March to the April 

 number. 



LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. 



Note. — 'riu's column /.< ofeti to all correspondents ivho write iipofi the 

 topics euumerated under " Problerns,''' or ivho give other if/forfnation of 

 interest. The fact that a problem has been answered once need not deter our 

 friends from ma kitig additional comments. To Jacilitate reperence^ corre- 

 spondents should cite the number as -well as the page on which have ap- 

 peared letters a?id queries to whic/i reference is tnade. The editor is not 

 responsible Jor the vieivs of others published in this periodical. 



(7) Terrace Dust. — Referring to the article on hyaline bodies 

 found in terrace dust (published in this number), some further 

 investigation is desirable. If any of the microscopists in the 

 United States would "magnetically sift" some dust frofn house- 

 tops and then brushing ofl" the few particles which adhere to the 

 magnet poles (using preferably a horseshoe magnet), would 

 mount them in balsam and examine them with the microscope, 

 it could be determined whether or not the same bodies occur in 

 that part of the world. W. J. Simmons. 



Calcuita, Jan. 18, i8i)S. 



