334 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XLIX. No. 1266 



Tlie International Code of Zoological No- 

 menclature (see Treas. Dept. Hygien. Lab. 

 Bull. 24 by C. W. Stiles; same with appendix 

 and summaries of opinions 1-67, extracted 

 from Proc. 9tli Intemat. Zool. Congr. 1913, 

 published by T. O. Smallwood. Opinions 

 1-67 were published by the Smithsonian In- 

 stitution). Article 30 concerns generic types. 



The Code of Nomenclature adopted by the 

 American Ornithologists' Union. Canons 21— 

 24 concern generic types. 



The Entomological Code. Banks and Cau- 

 dell. Par. 93-106 concern generic types. 



International Eules of Botanical Nomencla- 

 ture. Vienna, 1905. The question of types 

 is not touched upon. The application of gen- 

 eric names is considered in Arts. 45-46. 



The American Code of Botanical Nomen- 

 clature (see Bull. Torrey Club, 34: 167, 1907). 

 Canon 15 concerns generic types. 



Eecognizing the impossibility of framing a 

 set of rules which shall cover all cases, since 

 all contingencies can not be foreseen, the reg- 

 ulations have been divided into rules and 

 recommendations. Under the rules are in- 

 cluded statements of general principles to 

 which all generic nomenclature should con- 

 form when considered from the standpoint of 

 the type concept. It is thought that the types 

 indicated by these rules will be acceptable 

 without question to the great majority of 

 botanists. 



In order to adapt the genera of the older 

 botanists to the modem concept to types it 

 is necessary for us now to select type species 

 for those genera for which no type would be 

 indicated under our present rules. Some 

 codes attempt by means of detailed rules 

 automatically to select type species, hoping 

 thus to secure uniformity, definiteness and 

 stability. As all difBculties in the applica- 

 tion can not be foreseen, the results in some 

 cases have been confusing and have tended 

 to cast disrepute upon the rules. This com- 

 mittee has appreciated the desirability of 

 framing a code which shall possess definite- 

 ness but has endeavored to secure this by 

 giving to a committee judicial functions. 



The second part of the regulations consists 

 of a series of recommendations. These are 

 fairly elastic and can be applied reasonably 

 rather than arbitrarily. In a large majority 

 of cases the results obtained would be unques- 

 tioned. There would be, however, a small 

 munber of cases, especially among Linnjean 

 genera, in which competent botanists might 

 arrive at different results. It is proposed that 

 such cases should be referred to a permanent 

 committee which shall investigate them and 

 recommend decisions to this society. It is 

 believed that by this method types of genera 

 may be selected which will receive the ap- 

 proval of the great majority of botanists. We 

 look forward to an international agreement 

 upon the types of all genera, thus laying the 

 foundation for stability in nomenclature. 



The proposed regulations follow: 



T. RULES 



Article 1. The application of generic names 

 shall 'be determined by type species. 



Article 2. The type species shall be the 

 species or one of the species included in the 

 genus when originally published (publication 

 of the genera of seed plants dating from the 

 issue of Linnseus's " Species Pantarum " in 

 1753). 



(a) If a genus includes but one species when 

 originally published, this 'Species is the type. 



Article 3. When, in the original publica- 

 tion of a genus, one of the species is definitely 

 designated as type, this species shall be ac- 

 cepted as the type, regardless of other con- 

 siderations. 



(a) If typicus or typus is used as a new 

 specific name for one of the species, this 

 (Species shall be accepted as the type as if it 

 were definitely designated. 



Article 4. The publication of a new generic 

 name as an avowed substitute for an earlier 

 one does not change the type of the genus. 



Article 5. If a genus, without an originally 

 designated type, contains among its original 

 species one with the generic name used as a 

 specific name, either as a valid name or syno- 

 ,nym, that species is to be accepted as the type. 



Example.- — The type species of Pentstemon 



