292 Proceedings of the Boyal Physical Society. 



E.g., Cinclus aquaticus leucogaster-caishmivieiLisis (Central 



Siberia). 

 „ „ cashmiriensis (Caslimere, S. Siberia 



and Mongolia). 

 „ „ cashmiriensis-soTdidxis (Altai). 



„ „ sordidus (Thibet). 



Well — I hardly think that the time has yet come for any 

 radical interference with the binomial system, which has 

 worked so well from the time of Linnseus to our own, not- 

 withstanding all its defects. No doubt if the doctrine of 

 descent be true, and if we had the whole genealogy of living 

 and extinct forms before us, all definition of species, genera, 

 families, and so on, would be absolutely impossible ; not 

 merely the binomial system would be found insufficient, but 

 also the trinomial and even Mr Seebohm's four names would 

 fail to effect their purpose. It is in fact the imperfection of 

 the record which enables us to give names at all, and 

 naturally our difficulties increase the more the progress of 

 research among recent and fossil forms brings to light a little 

 more of the record previously unknown to us. 



The use of generic and specific names will, however, I fear 

 be long, indeed, not merely practicable, but necessary, and 

 meanwhile I think it will be much better for us to keep to 

 the binomial system, and to limit the authoritative names to 

 forms which, so far as we can judge, are "jjgood species," deal- 

 ing with sub-species according to the usual plan of inserting 

 contractions for the terms variety or sub-species. 



I quite understand the scope and limits of the trinomial 

 system as advocated by Dr Coues, but I very much fear that 

 if such a system were to receive the authoritative sanction of 

 naturalists these limits would not be observed by the crowd 

 of name manufacturers. The great objection to introducing 

 such a plan at present is its certainty of abuse by incom- 

 petent and inexperienced observers, and especially by that 

 class of writers whose sole function in life seems to be to 

 invent new names on the most trifling pretext. " If," as I 

 observed at the meeting, " the binomial system is at present 

 often abused by such people for the creation of species which 

 have no existence save in their own imaginations, what 



