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CODE OF NOMENCLATURE. 





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Although it is deemed by the Committee neither necessary 

 nor desirable to embody in its Report the minutes of its meet- 

 ings, a few further extracts may be presented in the present 

 connection. 



The subject of the formal introduction of trinomials into the 

 binomial system — a matter upon which the Committee lays 

 great stress — was brought up at the fourth meeting, Decem- 

 ber 15, 1883, in the form of the following resolution, which was 

 unanimously adopted : — 



"Whereas, the progress of Ornithology of late years has so greatly 

 increased and perfected our knowledge of the exact morphological 

 relations between allied forms of bird", and has so profoundly modi- 

 fied the conception of species held when the so-called binomial or 

 Linncean system of nomenclature was formulated and applied, that 

 this system is no longer adequate to handle known facts, or a clear 

 reflection of the modern conception of species based upon such facts, 

 it becomes obviously proper and necessary to modify the system in so 

 far as may be required to meet the new aspect of the case : it is there- 

 fore 



'''■Resolved, That a trinomial system of nomenclature be adopted upon 

 the basis and in the spirit of the binomial system ; such system allow- 

 ing and providing for the use of names consisting of three terms — 

 generic, specific, and subspecific — for those forms which, as a matter 

 of fact, are known to intergrade in physical characters ; two terms — 

 generic and specific — being employed as heretofore for those forms 

 which are not known to so intergrade." 



At the seventh meeting, December 19, 1883.. the following 

 resolution was unanimously adopted : — 



" That the Committee resolve itself into two subcommittees, to one 

 of which is referred the whole subject of specific and subspecific deter- 

 minations of North American birds, and to the other the subject of 

 formulating and codifying the nomenclatural results reached by the 

 whole Committee ; the former subcommittee to consist of Mr. R. 

 Ridgway, Mr. Wm. Brewster, and Mr. H. W. Henshaw ; the latter, 

 to consist of Mr. J. A. Allen and Dr. E, Coues ; and that Dr. L. 

 Stejneger be requested to co-operate with the former subcommittee 

 in determining questions of synonymy." 



