320 Mr. H. J. Elwes w? Modern [Ibis, 



the men described by Col. Meinertzbagen who regard 

 trinomials as an easy way of gaining notoriety, 



I will now allude to another paper on " Modern Zoological 

 Nomenclature " by Mr. Robert Gurney, published in the 

 Transactions of the Norfolk and Norwich Naturalists' 

 Society, 1918, p. 335, with most of which I heartily agree. 

 In this he points out that the differences of names between 

 the 'Handlist' and the B.O. U. List, which, at the time the 

 latter was published, I found to amount to nearly 100, either 

 of generic or specific names, are due to four causes : — 



(1) Differences of opinion regarding method of naming 

 and validity of subspecies. On this point I will enlarge 

 later on. 



(2) Differences of specific names due to different inter- 

 pretations of authors^ descriptions. 



(3) Differences due to the retention of names by the 

 B.O. U. Connnittee as nomlna (■onservanda. 



(4) Differences of generic names due to disagreement as 

 to types and authority of genera. 



I may point out that in this last case the rules followed 

 by botanists are different, in that they allow any autbor 

 who on better knowledge, or different opinions as to the 

 value of generic characters, transfers a species to a new 

 genus, to attach his name to the species. For instance, if 

 I thought that Turdus merula L. was not a true Turdvs, 

 and called it Merida merula or Merula imlgaris, it would 

 become M. vulgaris Ehves, or if I called it Neoturdus it 

 would bo Neohirdus merula Elwes. The effect of this 

 practice in horticulture has been to my mind disastrous, 

 and experience has proved that when a name has become 

 well-established in garden and commercial use, it is impos- 

 sible to effect a change however good the authority for 

 such change may be. I venture to predict that there will 

 be a similar strike amongst English bird-lovers if we 

 continue our present practice. It may be asked, and should 

 be asked, what is your remedy ? My reniedy is drastic : 

 namely, that v/e shall give a lead to other countries by 

 adopting a new rule, by Avhich all questions of priority 



