NOTES AND QUERIES. 335 



distributed species in the process of being differentiated into 

 a dozen species. Some ornithologists may exclaim, How is it 

 possible that intermediate forms can exist between a Himalayan 

 species and another isolated in Japan ? I can only suggest that 

 the Japanese and Himalayan birds were formerly one species, 

 that the birds in the Himalayas and in the extreme south 

 of Japan are so still, but that further north in Japan a change 

 of climate has produced a change of plumage. 



The St. Kilda Wren has been obliged by force of circum- 

 stances to change its habits, as well as the colour of its dress. 

 Stranded on an island where there is not a tree or a shrub, not 

 even a bush of heather, it picks up its food on the water and 

 rocks, and has, in fact, become a rock wren. In all probability 

 it has gradually acquired its grey colour and barred back, by the 

 slow process of protective selections, and is now almost invisible 

 to the eyes of the hungry hawks that visit St. Kilda, as it flits 

 about the grey lichen -pitted rocks. It would be interesting to 

 know how many thousand years ago the accident happened which 

 gave St. Kilda a Wren. Doubtless some flock of Norwegian 

 birds, migrating southwards to find a milder winter in Great 

 Britain, were driven out of their course and took refuge on the 

 lonely Atlantic island, where their descendants, modified by time 

 and circumstances, still survive. Let us hope that they will 

 succeed in bafiling the skill of all persecutors of rare birds, and 

 for ages yet to come enjoy their barren home. 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



Zoological Nomenclature. — On July 1st a meeting of naturalists 

 was held in the Lecture Room of the Natural History Museum, South 

 Kensington, to consider the expediency or otherwise of adopting the system 

 of trinomial nomenclature advocated by American zoologists. The chair 

 was taken by Prof. Flower, F.R.S., and, after papers on the subject had 

 been read by Mr. R. B. Sharpe and Mr. H. Seebohm, Dr. Elliot Coues (at 

 present on a visit to this country) gave a lucid explanation of the views 

 now held by American ornithologists with regard to zoological nomen- 

 clature, the substance of which will be found in his address to the National 



Academy of Sciences, Washington, printed in our last number (pp. 241 



247). A discussion followed, in which Dr. Giinther, Dr. P. L. Sclater 



