MELVILL: THE PRINCIPLES OF NOMENCLATURE. 453 
(6) Sixteen classes of objectionabie names were given, with 
a view to the improvement of Zoological nomenclature in 
future. These will be found on pp. 37 e¢ segg. of the Report 
for 1865. 
It was also (c) recommended that specific names might or 
might not be written with a small initial, just as the author 
thought fit. 
V.—REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON NOMENCLATURE TO 
THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION, AT NASHVILLE, AUGUST 
SISA, WS a 
In August, 1877, the Report of the Committee on Zoo- 
logical Nomenclature, appointed by the American Association 
for the Advancement of Science, was issued. It was drawn up 
by that eminent scientist and conchologist, Mr. William Healey 
Dall, the sole member of the committee. 
The report,* which I have perused very carefully, is thus 
the compilation of only one man, but he, being the leading 
exponent of matters conchological in the United States, is 
especially deserving of a hearing by British conchologists. 
Mr. Dall obtained the written opinion of forty-five leading 
scientific men in U.S.A., having asked them twenty-seven 
questions in connection with the subject.. Of these, the 
following are the most important, numbered as in order 
given :— 
(I.) What date shall be taken as the commencement of the 
binomial era in nomenclature ? 
Answer: For Edition X. 18 votes. 
For Edition XII. 17 votes. 
1736, 1 vote (Botanists, 1753, 2 votes). 
(II.) Shall phrases of two words which may appear in the 
publications of naturalists whose works preceded, or 
who did not in such works adopt the binomial system of 
nomenclature, be considered as binomial names ? 
* Proc. Amer. Assoc. for the Adv. of Science, xxvi Meeting, Aug., 1877, pp. 7-56. 
