of the Genera of the Aranee. 413 
Melopeeus, accompanied by a diagnosis, was based on a 
specimen in the Brit. Mus, Coll. identified by the author as 
Selenocosmia albostriata, which is cited as the type. 
Now if 8. albostriata has in this instance been wrongly 
identified, what is to be regarded as the type of Melopeus ? 
Some authors consider that the species cited by name must 
be the type, and the name Melopeus will become a synonym 
of Selenocosmia, or, at any rate, will follow the fortunes of 
S. albostriata. 
Others regard this as absurd, a mere confounding the 
symbol with the thing signified, and hold that the specimen, 
though wrongly identified, is, and always must be, the type of 
Melopeus. 
Now there are two possible circumstances— 
(1) In which the specimen, wrongly identified, has never 
been described and has no name. 
In this case Melopeus becomes a generic “ nomen nudum,” 
because, though the genus is diagnosed, it is based upon a 
non-existent species, and therefore there can be no type species 
of the genus. 
(2) In which the example, wrongly identified, is found to 
have already been described under another name. 
Then this species thus named is the type of Melopeus, and 
the name MMelopeus will follow the fortunes of the type 
species. 
There is no doubt that IMelopeus must, for weal or woe, 
follow the fortunes of the specimen whence the diagnosis is 
drawn. If the latter be non-existent as a recognized species, 
Melopeus falls; if the specimen diagnosed be referable to 
another genus under a recognized specific name, J/elopeus 
becomes a synonym under that genus. 
It is, however, of course open to the author to describe the 
example, using if he please the original generic name; but if 
another author has meanwhile described the species under 
another new generic name, then Jelopeus becomes its 
synonym. 
This at least, in my humble opinion, is the solation of the 
case in question. 
Priority in Pagination. 
Every one will agree with Dr. Dahl that there is no 
necessity to point out that the first pages of a work cannot be 
considered in reference to their date of publication as older 
than the later pages. 
The choice of a name, specific or generic, which occurs on 
