Notes on Nomenclature. 95 



we cannot tell what the old ones are until we have definitely 

 fixed their types. 



In the case here mentione.l, which is not hypotlietical, but 

 constitutes a problem really at this moment before me, I 

 believe that the old names will be quite sufficient to represent 

 the groups I have in view, and one does not want to add a 

 lot of useless names to the literature merely for the sake of 

 justifying the selection of types for those already existing. 



If, however, I am compelled to do this^ I merely found ten 

 hogiis genera, of no systematic value whatever, by quoting a 

 name and adding a type species. 



If the International Rules are ready to vindicate this 

 action, I am afraid I really cannot endorse their decision. 



For these reasons then, and there are probably others 

 which one has not foreseen, I look upon the recognition of a 

 type-species definitely selected by a later author as of the 

 highest value in systematic zoology. The action is simple 

 and direct, it saves trouble, enables us to avoid waiting for 

 future workers, prevents the unnecessary multiplication of 

 names, and sets nomenclature now at once, for our own 

 immediate use, upon a fixed and definite basis. 



There still remain two points to be noticed, in which 

 Dr. Dahl supposes that my methods dilFer from those of the 

 International Congress : — 



(1) That a hinominal name established be/ore 1758 is valid. 

 Before Dahl wrote this he should have already received 



my paper in which I said that I was perfectly prepared to 

 agree that Clerck^s names be allowed to lapse, so that this 

 supposition is incorrect. 



(2) The earlier page of the same edition of a loork has 

 priority over a later parje. 



Thus crudely stated, the point iiwolved is open to miscon- 

 ception. 



I hold, and I know of no one else who does not, that 

 a name printed on an earlier page of the same edition of 

 a work, or on an earlier line of the same page, must have 

 priority over the later name, when there is no doubt tliat the 

 species denoted by the two names are identical. 



If, for instance, the species represented by Aranea riparia 

 and Ar. labyrinthica be identical, then the first name must 

 stand. It' the identity of the two species be not certain, tiien, 

 of course, the name decided upon by the first author who 

 selected it would stand for the time being. But if the type 

 specimen of ^1. riparia, Linn., turned up at Burlington House, 

 as might happen, and proved to be what had hitherto been 



8* 



