118 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXXIV. No. 865 



has no riglit to treat a subject in the litera- 

 ture without complying with the responsibili- 

 ties which his treatment, so far as it goes, de- 

 mands. If he does so, he alone is at fault and 

 he alone must suffer. Slipshod taxonomic 

 methods carry their own germs of decay. If 

 I myself have offended in this respect, I 

 neither deserve nor desire sympathy as to the 

 particular points of my offense. Every au- 

 thor's work must be verified until it becomes 

 apparent that correctness has been attained. 

 In this manner only can we put taxonomy on 

 a sound basis. It is evident that the desired 

 consummation of demonstrated taxonomic 

 correctness for most forms is a long way off; 

 but deplorable as this may be, and as difficult 

 of achievement as it is deplorable, we can not 

 in any event justly dodge the points at issue. 

 Nomenclatorial problems must be fairly met 

 or we shall never attain the desired end. 



I have heretofore held aloof from discussions 

 of nomenclatorial intricacies in general, 

 knowing that the conditions of muscoid tax- 

 onomy are at present such that few cases can 

 yet be definitely stated, although the future 

 holds a multitude of them for ultimate solu- 

 tion. But I consider that the necessity for 

 deciding the present question as above sug- 

 gested is of such paramount importance to 

 the weKare of future taxonomy that I have, 

 at the risk of prolixity, presented the evidence 

 both direct and indirect as fully as I am able 

 to see it at the present time. The effect of 

 the final decision by the international com- 

 mission of questions involving the misidenti- 

 fication principle will have the utmost bear- 

 ing on muscoid taxonomy, from which con- 

 fusion wiU never be eliminated until we 

 know the morphology of the reproductive 

 system, egg and early stages thoroughly, as 

 well as every detail of the external anatomy 

 of the fly, and perhaps all the details of its 

 internal anatomy. The conditions in the 

 Muscoidea are quite unique, forms belonging 

 to distinct genera and tribes, or even distinct 

 subfamilies, often being closely similar in 

 external adult structure. Many authors have 

 in consequence sadly mixed and confused dis- 

 tinct forms throughout their work, and if 



we ever decide against the intent of an au- 

 thor it goes without saying that we shall be 

 irretrievably lost in muscoid synonymy. 

 Correct interpretation of an author's mean- 

 ing is as important to us as priority in 

 nomenclature. Therefore the importance of 

 securing a rational working decision can not 

 be overrated. 



Charles H. T. Townsend 

 PiUKA, Peru, 

 May 7, 1911 



LATIN DIAGNOSIS OF FOSSIL PLANTS 



Among the rather numerous nomenclatorial 

 rulings of the International Botanical Con- 

 gress which are considered retrogressive by a 

 large number of systematists is that which 

 requires the diagnoses of new species, genera, 

 etc., to be in Latin (sic). 



In order to test current opinion among 

 paleobotanical workers a memorandum has 

 been circulated by Professor Nathorst, of 

 Stockholm, and Mr. Arber, of Cambridge, and 

 the result, published in a recent number of 

 Nature^ will be of much interest to American 

 systematic botanists. 



The rather remarkable result of this inter- 

 change of opinion shows that every paleobot- 

 anist in Scandinavia, Great Britain and 

 North America proposes to disregard this 

 ruling of the congress. 



The memorandum which was circulated 

 contained the following statements of inten- 

 tion: 



1. I do not propose to include a diagnosis in 

 Latin in the description of any new species, genus 

 or family that I may institute in the future, unless 

 there appear to me, in particular cases, to be 

 special reasons for so doing. 



2. I will not refuse to accept new species, genera 

 or families of fossil plants instituted by other 

 workers in the future, solely on the ground that 

 their description is not accompanied by a diagnosis 

 in Latin. 



This was signed, with some modification of 

 wording in the case of Mr. and Mrs. Clement 

 Eeid and Professor Seward, by the following 



'May 18, 1911, pp. 380, 381. 



