ON ZOOLOGICAL BIBLIOGRAPHY AND PUBLICATION. 491 
ignore certain authors who refuse to comply with the recognised usages 
of zoologists, ¢.g., by brazenly misdating their publications or by persistent 
ignoring of the work of others ? 
(B) The following questions arise in connection with Bibliography :— 
(1) What limits should be set to bibliography? The aim is to bring to 
the workers on any one subject information as to all works published on 
that subject. Bibliography is limited (a) in degree, (b) in kind). (a) There 
are limits to the minuteness of subdivision: is the minute system of 
slips (such as a slip for every mention of each species), proposed by the Royal 
Society, feasible or desirable? (6) Bibliography being a ‘description of 
writings,’ it does not include criticism or interpretation other than may 
be needed to explain obscurities. How far should criticism enter into 
bibliography ? 
(2) What means can be adopted for producing co-operation between the 
various bibliographers? Two means have lately come into prominence : 
(a) the International Bureau at Zurich ; (6) the Dewey Decimal System 
of Classification. (a) The International Bureau has suffered at the in- 
ception of its work through the serious illness of Dr. H. H. Field, so that 
the results can hardly be criticised as yet. (b) The Dewey Decimal Classifi- 
cation has recently been explained for English readers by Mr, W. E. Hoyle 
in ‘ Natural Science,’ vol. ix. pp. 43-48, July, 1896. Both of these means 
will necessarily be discussed by the International Congress on Scientific 
Bibliography, and the Zurich Bureau would doubtless be absorbed in any 
ultimate scheme. Any suggestions for the improvement of ‘the Royal 
Society schemes, so far as they refer to zoology and paleontology, will 
be welcomed by the present Committee. 
(3) Is it advisable that authors and editors should co-operate with 
bibliographers in the ways that have recently been suggested, viz. : (a) by 
construction of catalogue or index slips; (b) by heading articles with 
their decimal number? Examples of catalogue slips may be seen in recent 
issues of the Proceedings of the Royal Society, and the Quarterly Journal 
of Microscopical Science, while the decimal number has been employed in 
the Revue Scientifique, Bulletin de VAssociation pour lAvancement des 
Sciences, Bulletin de la Société Zoologique de Paris, Zoologischer Anzeiger, 
Natural Science, &e. 
It is proposed to sift opinions obtained on these points, and to report 
on them on a future occasion. 
' Your Committee has also ventured to utilise its existence in sending 
out the following circular to the editors of all publications connected with 
zoology :— 
Dear S1r,—I am desired by the Committee of the British Association 
on Zoological Bibliography and Publication to draw your attention to the 
following statement :— 
It is the general opinion of scientific workers, with which the Com- 
mittee cordially agrees : 
(1) That each part of a serial publication should have the date of 
actual publication, as near as may be, printed on the wrapper, and, when 
possible, on the last sheet sent to press. 
(2) That authors’ separate copies should be issued with the original 
pagination and plate-numbers clearly indicated on each page and plate, 
and with a reference to the original place of publication. 
