12 
3 
1.—I think it much more important to study the habits and 
entire life history of one or more species, with the object of dis- 
covering the uses of all the characters which are peculiar to the 
species, and thus helping to solve the problem of the utility or 
inutility of specific characters. 
2.—The causes of the ever-growing evil of synonym are 
two: 
(1) The description of new species by incompetent persons, 
or by persons who do not know all the species already descri- 
bed. 
(2) The rule of priority, which compels the alteration of any 
name however good an well-described, in favor of any earlier na- 
me however bad or 1Ul- described. 
The remedy in mi opinion is (1) to recognize no descrip- 
tion of new species except those published in certain scienti- 
fic periodicals in each country, and with the approval of an elec- 
ted expert in the group to which the species belongs. 
And (2) the substitution of authority for priority. The autho- 
rity to be an International Committee for each group of animals 
or plants, whose nomenclature once issued is to be final. 
The law of priority has now been followed for half a centu- 
ry, with the result that there is, in many groups, as much di- 
versity of nomenclature as ever, and an ever—increasing growth 
of synonym. 
3.— With an authoritative and final nomenclature no au- 
thors name would be required after the specific name. 
Till there is such an authoritative nomenclature the addi- 
tion of the author's name is, Í thiuk, the most useful. 
Parkstone, Dorset, England. Feb. 25 th. 1896. 
Alfred R. Wallace, M. 5. A., 
Ancien Président de la Société Royale 
de Londres. 
