110 OLAF GALLGE 
on closer investigation, to be an intermixture of individuals of fairly 
different species, and we are unable to decide, with any certainty, 
the individual for the sake of which the author has left it in trust 
for after times! Else we must yield to the inevitable, viz., that lichen 
determinations become rather uncertain, as they also prove to be 
in many cases, or that later lichenologists shall simply disregard 
the oldest author’s right of priority, and re-establish the species 
with better definition. It is absolutely necessary to get away from 
the exaggerated belief in the principle of ‘original specimens.” 
The following list of the lichens of Iceland, as indicated above, 
is not based on my own studies of the species, according to the 
“method of individuals” mentioned above, — that would be an 
almost impossible work for one man, — but is arranged in com- 
pliance with the frequently-employed limitation of species, as 
they are presented to us in the commonly known lichenological 
works of Th. Fries, Crombie, Koerber, Nylander and others; 
the list, consequently, has the synonymic and systematic weaknesses 
belonging to the works in question, but also has their strong point, 
viz., it can safely and easily be compared with other lists worked 
out on the same principles, a thing rather necessary for lichen- 
ological reasons. 
In the list given I have drawn special attention to the species 
which were found by myself as “new to Iceland,’ and which 
are not found in Deichmann Branth’s list of 1903. The reason 
why these species have been specially mentioned is simply that 
I am myself responsible for their correct identification, and not 
that special attention might be drawn to these new finds, and this 
so much the less, as I cannot see anything specially meritorious in 
finding new species; every well-trained collector can do so much. 
The following list by no means renders Deichmann Branth’s 
excellent work superfluous. In his work we find geographical sta- 
tions for all the species, and my own list merely supplements his 
by describing more fully the species new to Iceland, and by mo- 
dernizing his limitation of species, making it more in agreement 
with the demands of the time, — without necessarily constituting 
a real improvement in the apprehension of the species, which, as 
already mentioned, will not be attained except by detailed investiga- 
tions in the future, according to my “method of. individuals.” 
The following species have been found: — 
