14 SCIENCE 
Suggestion 3.—In discussion of type material 
modern terms indicating its precise nature will be 
found useful. Examples of these terms are: type 
(or holotype), allotype, paratype, cotype, lecto- 
type, neotype, etc. 
Suggestion £4—In all cases in the serial treat- 
ment of genera or species and where first used in 
general articles the authority for the species, or 
genus, should be given; and the name of the au- 
thority should not be abbreviated. 
Suggestion 5.—Where the title of any publica- 
tion referred to is not written in full, standard 
abbreviations should be used. 
Suggestion 6—When a species discussed has 
been determined by some one other than the au- 
thor it is important that reference be made to the 
worker making the identification. 
It is believed that nearly all workers will 
realize the importance of these or similar 
rules and it is hoped that other periodicals will 
earefully consider the matter and determine 
on definite policies. Such a step would be of 
great help to all workers and would assure a 
firmer foundation. 
Rule 4 covers a subect which is often abused. 
When we consider that much of the cataloguing 
and indexing is now done by people with but 
little experience and knowledge, it is especially 
important that all communications should be 
properly signed. s 
S. A. RoHwer, 
Corresponding Secretary-Treasurer 
\ 
A NEW MARINE TERTIARY HORIZON IN SOUTH 
AMERICA 
Iy preparing a monograph on marine Ter- 
tiary mollusca from the Lower Amazon region 
for the Servico Geologico e Mineralogico do 
Brazil, we have been astonished to note that 
we are dealing with a horizon approximately 
equivalent to the blue marls of the Yaqui val- 
ley, Santo Domingo; the Bowden beds of Ja- 
maica; the Gatun formation of the Isthmus of 
Panama, and the Chipola beds of Florida, 
Cartotra J. Maury 
DEPARTMENT OF PALEONTOLOGY, 
CoRNELL UNIVERSITY 
THE PANAMA CANAL SLIDES THAT WERE 
THE big slides that blocked the Panama 
Canal after its opening were removed sufi- 
[N. 8. Vou. XLVIII. No. 1227 
ciently about April 15, 1916, to permit ships 
to again use the waterway. The dredges con- 
tinued at work, however, until they had not 
only brought the channel to its former size 
but, by April 1, 1917, had also made the part 
where maximum sliding occurred more than 
200 feet wider than it was before the tem- 
porary stoppage of traffic. After January 1, 
1917, only a little dredging was done, and by 
February 1, 1918, it was practically discon- 
tinued. 
On August 30, 1916, a large bowlder slid into 
the channel and, because of its menacing 
position, caused navigation to be suspended 
until it could be blasted out. Because of its 
great hardness the rock was not completely 
removed until September 7, 1916. Since this 
7-day interruption to navigation in 1916 the 
canal has given absolutely satisfactory and un- 
interrupted service. 
Now that even dredging in the vicinity of 
the former slides, except a very little for gen- 
eral maintenance, has been discontinued for 
several months, it is interesting to recall an 
article published in the New York Times dur- 
ing the latter part of 1915, part of which 
follows: 
That uninterrupted service through the Panama 
Canal could not be expected for several years was 
the statement made last night by Professor Benja- 
min Le Roy Miller, Ph.D., who occupies the chair 
of geology at Lehigh University. 
The article continues, quoting the professor 
directly: 
Before the canal can be said to be completed 
and permanently opened to traffic, the amount of 
material that must be taken out will not fall far 
short of the amount already taken from the Cule- 
bra cut. 
Transportation companies planning to use the 
canal should realize that they must not expect un- 
interrupted service for several years. During the 
dry season the canal may be opened, but it is cer- 
tain to be closed during the rainy season when the 
earth is soaked with water and its movement 
toward the canal facilitated. 
General Goethals, then governor of the 
Panama Canal, in his annual report for 1916 
