NOVEMBEB 2, 1906.] 



SCIENCE. 



563 



Genus X, 1850. 

 Species 4 = type of Y 1810. 



5 = type of Z 1820. 



6 = type of W 1860. 



Is not 3 the type of A and 6 the type of Z? 

 Question II. 



Genus A, 1800. 

 Species l = type of B 1810. 



2 belongs to B (according to our 

 present views). 



3 = type of G 1820. 



Which is the type of A, species 2 or 3? 

 Question III. 



Genus A, 1760. 

 Species l = type of B 1770. 



2 belongs to C 1780 (the typ«u of 

 G is another species not included 

 in A). 



3 = type of D 1790. 



Which is the type of A, species 2 or 3? 

 Question IV. 



Genus A, 1850. 

 Species l'=type of B 1860. 

 2=^ type of G 1870. 

 3 = type of D 1880. 



1. In our opinion to-day D is a synonym 

 of another genus E, 1855. Do we consider 

 species 3 removed from A at 1855 or 1880? 



2. Suppose we consider D a synonym of B. 

 Is species 3 then removed at 1860 or 1880? 

 Question V. 



Genus A, 1800. 

 Species 1 = type of B 1810. 



2 = type of G 1820. 



3 = type of D 1830. 



4 = type of E 1840. 



1. Suppose we regard E as a synonym of G 

 and consider both 2 and 4 removed at 1820, 

 then is not 3 the type oi A? 



2. Suppose we regard G and E as distinct 

 genera, then is not 4 the type oi Af 



3. Now if an author adopting the first view 

 makes 3 the type of A, must a subsequent 

 author holding the second view adopt 3 or 

 may he change the type of J. to 4? 

 Question VI. ' 



When a reviser explicitly selects a type for 

 an early composite genus must he take a spe- 

 cies that has never up to that time been re- 

 moved from that genus as the basis of a new 



one, or is his action binding, no matter what 

 species he may select so long as it is one of 

 the originally included species? 

 Question VII. 



Genus A, 1800. 



Species l = type of G 1804. 



2 = type of D 1806. 



4 = type of F 1805. 



Genus B, 1802. 



Species l = type of G 1804. 



2 = type of D 1806. 



3 = type of E 1808. 



Two genera erected independently for nearly 

 the same species. In eliminating A genus B 

 must be considered, since 1 and 2 are con- 

 tained in it, but we can not ascertain the type 

 of B until we know the type of A. How can 

 such cases be treated? 

 Question VIII. 



Genus A, 1800. 



Species l = type of G 1820. 



2 = type of D 1825. 



3 = type of E 1830. 

 Genus F, 1840. 



Species l = type of G 1820. 

 2 = type of D 1825. 

 ( type of E 1830. 

 I type of A 1800. 



4 = type of B 1810. 



Two genera established for nearly the same 

 species. Is not 3 the type oi Af If so what 

 is the type of i^? 



These were submitted to the following 

 twenty-five systematic zoologists and botanists : 



Vertehrate Zoologists. — J. A. Allen, B. W. 

 Evermann, Theodore Gill, O. P. Hay,* H. W. 

 Henshaw, D. S. Jordan, C. Hart Merriam, 

 G. S. Miller, Jr.,* H. C. Oberholser, W. H. 

 Osgood, T. S. Palmer, C. W. Eichmond, 

 Eobt. Eidgway, Leonhard Stejneger,* Witmer 

 Stone. 



Invertebrate Zoologists. — T. D. A. Coekerell, 

 W. H. Dall, L. O. Howard,* H. A. Pilsbry, 

 Mary J. Eathbun, C. W. Stiles. 



Botanists. — J. H. Barnhart, N. L. Britton, 

 O. F. Cook, F. V. Coyille. 



Eeplies were received from all but those 

 marked with an asterisk, and for these answers 

 I desire to express my thanks. All of the 

 botanists and Professor Coekerell believe, in 



