a 
1893.] Editorial. 145 
Goodale, Coulter, Gill, Minot, and Gage, have gone seriously to work 
to prepare their contribution to the work of the International Com- 
mittee, the larger share of which, it is but just to say, has fallen upon 
Professor Gage. In these days, when investigation is being multiplied 
so enormously, and new terms are being constantly coined, a uniform 
 Saeee of nomenclature in morphology is becoming no less desirable 
than in ‘systematic work. The committee has formulated certain 
underlying principles to guide in the selection of a biological termin- 
ology, and it is the desire of the Gazerre to call the attention of 
American botanists to these principles. The first is that the names of 
— and parts, and terms indicating position and direction, should 
be single designatory words so far as possible, rather than descriptive 
phrases. The necessity for this becomes more apparent in zoological 
aoe Jee the names of men are often applied to anatomical 
though than in botanical, where the tendency is to follow this rule, 
have a nip notable exceptions. Another principle, which would 
sbitsasea ‘ eal todo with botanical terminology, suggests that mor- 
sible eas s should be etymologically correct, and so far as pos- 
Latin form aah Greek or Latin, and that each term should have a 
ete., would di uch phrases as “ antipodal-cells,” “sieve-tubes,” etc., 
Portant prin td pear under both of these principles. Another im- 
in addition ae Tecommends that each of the technical words have, 
form to the ie meee Latin form, a form which shall make it con- 
Made for each aoe of the various languages, that is, that a paronym be 
tion, and the word nical word. This is really a very important sugges- 
its classical . would be so slightly changed that one familiar with 
) Or En as, oSptecanes it instantly in either Italian, French, 
Paronyms was adher q here can be no doubt that if this principle of 
greatly inten “ intelligibility of scientific writing would 
ample of w he word “Biology” itself is an excellent ex- 
Biologie, Whether “Biologia,” “La Biologia,” “La 
or “Biology,” it is always recognizable. 
gently recommend that whenever a technical 
Rote, the Lati he first time, the author should give, in a special 
tm, the etymology, the proper paronym for his own 
: , and is > 
Sle. Thisis eure ne 204 Precise a definition of the term a5 Pos. 
* Dew term rely a reasonable price to pay for the introduction of 
ded as — exactness of definition should be as much de- 
i also act description of anew species. 
+ : 
weston “ety desirable thing to unify botanical and zoological 
a 
so ; 
ey 48 possible. The subject is a very difficult one, and 
the name proto oe necessarily be slow, but it was begun when 
we adopted for the same substance in both 
i 
