Notes and Comments. 75 



the case of other branches of zoology, much time is occupied 

 with this question that might be devoted to original work. 

 Still, the chscussion of such subjects is, unfortunately, neces- 

 sary ; and it cannot be better carried on than by specialists 

 in the respective departments, whose knowledge of the subject 

 is naturally better than that of the ordinary student. 



THE FIXATION OF NOMEN'CLATURE. 



To settle, once and for all, the question of which particular 

 name is to be given to a particular species, Dr. Bather makes 

 some suggestions which are worthy of serious consideration. 

 He opines that ' zoologists should agree to accept as final the 

 decision of some authority by them appointed. The vehicle 

 for such authority already exists in the Nomenclature Com- 

 mittee of the International Zoological Congress, the only body 

 that has any claim to represent either all branches of zoology or 

 all nationalities.' 



METHOD OF PROCEDURE. 



Dr. Bather suggests that ' those zoologists who wish to 

 protect certain names should lay the complete facts of the 

 case before the Committee, and should accompany their request 

 for the retention of certain definite names in defiance of the 

 rules by the signatures of as many workers as the group affected 

 as they can obtain. Due announcement of the proposed step 

 should be made in certain widely circulated journals, and a 

 reasonable time should be allowed for the reception of protests. 

 The Committee should ultimately give its decision, and this 

 decision should be published in the aforesaid journals. A 

 summary of the labours of the Committee in this direction 

 would, of course, be given from time to time in the publications 

 of the International Zoological Congress.' In case the particular 

 Committee referred to did not meet with the general approval of 

 zoologists, and this is quite possible !— some other Committee 

 might be formed. Anyway, the precise style or mode of 

 appointment of the desired authority does not greatly matter, 

 if only zoologists will agree to accept it. 



EOCIDARIS. 



The necessity for such a course as that referred to being 

 adopted, is well illustrated in a paper by the same author, in 

 another part of the ' Annals ' ; a paper which refers, inter alia. 

 to some Permian fossils in the Hancock Museum, Newcastle. 

 In this instance the case is further compficated by the fact that 



1910 Feb. 1. 



