G84 Letters, Extracts, and Notes. 



nomenclature tlirongliont, as no other writer lias studied 

 the races of Palrearctic birds so thoroughlvj or taken the 

 trouble to ascertain their correct nomenclature in accordance 

 Avith the Rules of the International Commission on 

 Zoological nomenclature. It might almost be thought 

 unnecessary in a scientific journal to point out the diffi- 

 culties caused by non-adherence to rules, when those who, 

 in Mr. Gurney's own words, " have neither time nor 

 inclination to qualify as specialists/' yet reserve the right 

 to override law to suit their own convenience. If such a 

 coni'se is generally adopted, it must lead to anarchy. 



S})ace forbids my discussing every detail, but I will take 

 the first instance which Mr. Gurney quotes. He asks 

 Avhat could justify the change of our familiar name Anas 

 boscas to A. plat i/rl/i/ncha. In the first place an unjustifiable 

 change has already been made for Linnteus did not Avritc 

 "boscas'^ at all, but boschas. Moreover, when he described 

 the male of the Wild Duck under this name, he had already 

 unwittingly described the female as A. jj^uti/rlri/ncfios. 

 This name has already been universally adopted in America, so 

 that if we were willing to break through the law of priority 

 in this case, we should be faced with the absurdity of 

 having a different scientific name for the same bird on each 

 side of the Atlantic ! 



Needless to say such a course tends to defeat the whole 

 purpose of scientific nomenclature, which must be treated 

 on the broadest lines and not become the sport of personal 

 or local prejudices. 



I am, Sirs, 



Yours &c., 



Clifton Yieariige, F. C. R. JoUKDAIN. 



Asliburne, 

 Derbyshire. 



Sirs, — In the last number of "^The Ibis,' p. 559, appears a 

 letter from Mr. H. L. White, wherein lie notes that the 

 reference of the white eggs to Rallina tricolor seems to ha^e 

 been doubted bv me. I think he has confused the editorial 



