360 REPORT— 1897. 



while comments have also been made on suggestions 2, 4, and 5. It is 

 proposed to deal with these in order. 



First, the Committee wishes to state clearly that it has no wish, even if 

 it had the authority, to lay down laws for zoologists or for publishing 

 bodies and editors. It is, however, plain that many are grateful for 

 some guidance, and the Committee hopes that it may serve as a medium 

 for conveying to those who need it the general opinion of the experienced. 

 There are also difficulties which, though they appear to some insuperable, 

 may possibly be surmounted in ways that have been communicated to the 

 Committee. 



(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.' 



Five correspondents do not see the use of this, thinking that the date 

 on the wrapper is enough, and that in the case of annual publications the 

 date of the year suffices. The Committee would point out that wrappers 

 are constantly lost in binding, and that periodicals are often broken up by 

 specialists or second-hand booksellers, the consequent loss of date causing 

 much trouble to workers of a later day. To avoid this, the Cincinnati 

 Society of Natural History would add the date at the head of each paper, 

 while ' Natural Science ' prints the month and year across every page- 

 opening. Some societies, e.g. the Philadelphia Academy, issue a certificate 

 of dates at the end of the volume. The Liverpool Biological Society ' put 

 at the head of each paper the date when it is read, and are willing to add 

 the date when it is printed off' : neither of these dates are necessary, and 

 they may be misleading. In most cases the actual day of publication is 

 immaterial, especially in cases where no new species are described, but at 

 least the month should always be given, and the Committee does not see 

 that there need be any difficulty in doing this. If some unforeseen delay 

 does occur, the date can always be rectified with a date stamp. 



(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 publi- 

 cation.' 



The Committee believes this to be a most important recommendation, 

 and its view is supported by all the zoologists consulted. Nevertheless, 

 many leading publications continue to issue authors' copies repaged, and 

 often without reference to volume-number, date, or even the name of the 

 periodical. The remedy is so simple that the Committee urgently appeals 

 for its universal application. 



(3) 'That authors' separate copies should not be distributed 

 privately before the paper has been published in the regular 

 manner.' 



It is a curious fact that on this question editors take a different line 

 to working zoologists. All the latter who have discussed the matter 

 agree with the Committee as to the extreme inconvenience caused by the 

 general custom. Among the editors, however, nine {i.e., nearly one- 

 quarter) protest against the present recommendation. The objectors 

 represent small societies which publish at lengthy intervals, and their 

 reajjons are : that it is not fair to an author to prevent him from receiving 



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