QUESTION OF NOMENCLATURE 37 



Such is a statement of the problem by some of the mala- 

 cologists of America, and of England. It is indeed one interesting 

 and unique. 



To what extent continental and English authors are in- 

 clined to credit Retzius with these genera, I can not say. Certain 

 it is that a number of German systematists have referred the 

 gejiera involved to Philipsson. But one author comes to me now: 

 Dr. Rudolf Hoernes, in his Paldoniologie, who considers Phil- 

 ipsson as the author of the thesis (cf . genus Unio) . Most American 

 authors, following in the steps of Mr. Simpson, Dr. Dall, and Dr. 

 Ortmann,^ refer Unio and the other genera described in the thesis 

 to Retzius. But before taking up the discussion of the various 

 points in issue, the provisions of the code governing such usage, 

 may be quoted : 



International Zoological Code, Art. 21. "The author of a 

 scientific name is that person who first publishers that name 

 in connection with an indication, a definition or a description, 

 unless it is clear from the contents of the publication that some 

 other person is responsible for said name and its indication, defi- 

 nition or description." And in commenting on this section of the 

 Code, Dr. Stiles remarks in part: 



"This point of view lays stress upon holding an author re- 

 sponsible for the names he publishes, rather than upon ' giving 

 him credit' for those names. 



" The chief idea we have in citing the author of a name is 

 to aid in tracing it. If now we cited Smith & Kilborne, instead of 

 Wandolleck, as author of Apiosoma, or instead of Patton as author 

 of Piro plasma, we might lead our colleagues to search long in 

 writings of Smith & Kilborne for a name which they perhaps 

 never used even in correspondence." — Stiles, Ch. Wardell, in 

 The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature as Applied 

 to Medicine. Hyg. Lab., U. S. Pub. Health & Mar.-Hosp. Serv., 

 Bull. XXIV: 21 [1905.] 



Questions to be answered satisfactorily are then: (i) Was 

 the thesis published? What constitutes publication? (2) The 

 purpose of author-citations in zoological names. An interpreta- 

 tion of Art. 21, International Zoological Code. How does it apply 

 in the present case? (3) The validity of a tacit or written law of 



' Ortmann, A. E. The Use of the Generic Names Unio, Margaritana, 

 Lymnium and Elliptio, etc. Nautilus XXV: 89 [De 1911]. 



