BEY. T. E. B. STEBBITSTG ON ZOOLOGICAL NOMENC LATHEE. 325 



Zoological Nomenclature : luternatioual liules aud others. 

 By the Eev. T. E. E. Stebbing, M.A., P.E.S., Sec.L.S., E.Z.S. 



[Read 2nd March, 1905.] 



IjfDiviDUALS and societies are sometimes accused of running 

 counter to the laws of nature. In popular speech aud writing 

 this behaviour is regarded as immoral and worthy of punishmeot. 

 Beyond doubt, the love of freedom or raisliking of restraint 

 exercises over some minds so powerful a fascination that they 

 would, if they could, crumple up the laws of nature with exquisite 

 zest. But that particular piece of mischief is out of man's 

 reach. We have to be content with breaking domestic, aesthetic, 

 linguistic, social, ethical, ecclesiastical, statutory, and inter- 

 national law. This protean mass, unlike the immutable laws of 

 nature, is ever varying with time, place, and circumstance. 

 Neither Medes nor Persians have contrived to make it in any 

 ■one particular fixed aud unalterable, so that we find in the 

 course of history falsehood, theft, murder, parricide, not only 

 practised, but justified and delighted in, as well as unselfishness, 

 purity, truth, and filial affection. 



On this occasion we are principally concerned with the 

 linguistic department, but there is an international aspect of the 

 ■question of no small importance, and there are some assthetic 

 and ethical points of view which are worthy of notice. 



Within the last half-year four papers have appeared directly 

 dealing with the subject, and written by persons whose position, 

 opportunities, and acknowledged eminence must reasonably give 

 them a commanding influence among their fellow zoologists. In 

 order of appearance these papers are : first, " A Draft of Eules 

 for Zoological Nomenclature, as basis for a revision of the 

 International Eules of the International Nomenclature Com- 

 mission," proposed by F. C. von Maehrenthal in Berlin 

 (published in Braun's ' Zoologische Annalen,' vol. i. p. 89, Sept. 

 1904, Konigsberg-i-Pr.) ; second, "Some Changes in Crustacean 

 Nomenclature," by Mary J. Eathbun (in the ' Proceedings of 

 the Biological Society of Washington,' vol. xvii. p. 169, December 

 1904) ; third, " International Eules of Zoological Nomenclature," 

 by Professor Eaphael Blanchard, Professor von Maehrenthal, 



