29S Allen, A Be/ef/se of Co.no7i XL of the A. O. U. Code. Vq^. 



efforts, and. Dr. Coues of late both with tongue and pen has 

 expressed his disapproval of this article and advocated its sup- 

 pression. Let it therefore be eliminated from the Code. Let us 

 instead of listening to its baneful teachings, advocate the beauties 

 of grammatical construction, and the propriety of correct spelling 

 and we will do more towards the stability of ornithological nomen- 

 clature than any number of Canons XL, which teach the rightful- 

 ness of wrongdoing. The writer has always repudiated this 

 Canon.. He will always spell as well as he knows how, and will 

 be as grammatical in his writings as he is able and will always 

 reject misshaped compounds .and ill-spelt words, and when he 

 errs and blunders he is thankful to the kind friend who sets him 

 right upon his way, and he would strongly advise all young 

 ornithologists, beginning the study of the most attractive of 

 earth's creatures, to reject entirely this Canon XL and its advo- 

 cacy of illiteracy, and when uncertain of any portion of their 

 writings consult some one who can aid them, but in all cases, 

 adopt only that which is grammatically, typographically and phil- 

 ologically correct. 



A DEFENSE OF CANON XL OF THE A. O. U. CODE. 



BY J. A. ALLEN. 



In the foregoing article Mr. Elliot has, let us say unwittingly, 

 given a very unfair representation of the purpose and results of 

 Canon XL of the A. O. U. Code of Nomenclature. The members 

 of the A. O. U. Committee who formulated Canon XL, instead 

 of deliberately offering " a reward to ignorance, carelessness, and 

 a general lack of ability to perceive that which alone is proper 

 and right," are probably as much shocked by misspelled or 

 wrongly constructed names in scientific nomenclature as is Mr. 

 Elliot, and did not adopt Canon XL without careful deliberation 

 and consideration as to which of two grave evils is the lesser, — 



