7.A.2 Allen ofi Zoological Noinenclattcre. [October 



he had done in his 'Catalogue,' was not as advantageous as the 

 employment of trinomial nomenclature. In regard to the Long- 

 tailed Titmice {Acredzila caudata group), where several forms 

 are connected by intermediate gradations, he believed the adop- 

 tion of the trinomial system would be a positive advantage. 



In concluding he stated that the great difficulty he perceived 

 in the w^ay of the adoption of trinomial nomenclature was en- 

 countered in the fact that it would open the door to a multiplica- 

 tion of species, or races, founded on insufficient material by 

 authors lacking in experience of the difficulties of the subject ; 

 "but," he added, "I cannot conceal from myself that the code of 

 nomenclature proposed by the British Association and followed 

 by most of us, scarcely accounts for the treatment of facts as they 

 have been developed in zoological science since the promulgation 

 of that code, and that before long it will be the duty of British 

 zoologists to attempt its modification." 



Mr. Seebohm followed with a paper in continuation of the sub- 

 ject, in which he showed an exceptionally clear conception of the 

 conditions of the problem to be met, and proposed a "modifica- 

 tion of the American system of nomenclature." He said : " The 

 question of a binomial or trinomial nomenclature is not a very 

 simple one. So long as ornithologists were under the delusion 

 that all species were separated from each other by a hard and fast 

 line, the binomial system of nomenclature was sufficient. Now 

 that we know that many forms which have been regarded as 

 species are connected by intermediate links with each other, and 

 that many species present important local variations which cannot 

 be ignored, we are obliged to admit the existence of subspecies as 

 well as species. There can be no doubt that the too tardy recog- 

 nition by European ornithologists of what might not unreasonably 

 be regarded as the most important fact in ornithology discovered 

 during the present century has been very largely due to a pe- 

 dantic adherence to a binomial system of nomenclature. Now 

 that we have emancipated ourselves from the fetters with which our 

 predecessors, with the best intentions in the world, cramped our 

 ideas, the question arises, how shall we recognize in our nomen- 

 clature the existence of sub-specific forms ; by a word, or by a 

 sentence.? The ornithologists of America think that a system of 

 trinomial nomenclature will answer the purpose. They have 

 come to the conclusion that the insertion of a third link in the 



