276 
specific description of an organic form is a question which concerns natural-. 
ists alone (i. e. botanists and zoologists), and is not properly a subject to be 
dealt with by any other class of men of science. 
It is, moreover, a question to be determined in the interests and convenience 
of science alone, and in such manner as to promote its progress by investi- 
gators, without reference to the supposed honor of discovery, personal 
property in the name, or any other of the selfish generalities, under which 
bad and hasty work are too often covered, and subsequently excused. 
The subject has occupied the serious attention of the most eminent 
naturalists in all countries for many years, and there is likely to be 
with patience and mutual forbearance among the extremists, an accord of 
feeling, to be arrived at within a short time. 
To show the extremely cautious manner in which it has been approach- 
ed by societies and persons devoted exclusively to but a single branch of 
zoology I append the report of a committee of the entomologists of the 
United States and Canada upon nomenclature, which has progressed to its 
present form only after two years of active correspondence and consulta- 
tion. The Secretary will have the kindness to read the appropriate portion 
of the report. I send tooa copy of a short essay by myself, asking atten- 
tion to a marked passage on p. 205, as embodying in a condensed form 
my convictions of the motives with which every investigator in science 
should labor for the best interests of the department of knowledge he has 
chosen. 
‘<Tt is the privilege, with the facilities for publication now afforded by 
learned societies, of every careful observer of nature to contribute valuable 
material for the progress of the branch of science which he is capable of 
cultivating. J¢ is his duty to put his contributions to knowledge in such 
a form as to be most easily available to his brothers in science. Whether his 
name remains connected permanently with his observation or not is a mat- 
ter of small importance ; he has done his duty in increasing the power of 
work of his colleagues.°’—Canadian Naturalist, p. 205. 
For these reasons and for many others, which I might specify if time 
permitted, I think it would be most inexpedient for the Society to express 
an opinion upon what may constitute a proper scientiric publication of sup- 
posed new genera and species. : 
J. L. LECONTH, Secretary. 
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 7, 1877. 
P.S.—I have received within a few daysa pamphlet from Mr. J. Putzeys, 
of Brussels, which exemplifies both his courtesy to other investigators in 
the same field, but also the care with which European Societies will guard 
any attempt to take advantage of the facilities for publication afforded by 
them. The pamphlet in question is a laborious and conscientious mono- 
graph, containing descriptions of one hundred and eleven species, of which 
66 are new. This memoir ¢s to be published in the Stettiner Entomolo- 
gische Zeitung for 1878, and the separata of the author, though in his hands 
for distribution before the middle of November, 1877, bears the same date, 
