260 NOTES FROM THE SARAWAK MUSEUM. 
, 2, 3, etc., each genus with a decimal number following the 
ane amber each species with another decimal number follow 
ing that of the genus. Let me cemere this with an example 
taken from the catalogue of Fishe 
Class Pisces — E 
“Order 1. Plagiostomata 
Sub-order. Selachoidei 
ith sp 
Species acutus — E 
with specimens > b. с. d., ete. 
Fam. Lamnide = 
Genus Lamna = E 2. * 
and so on 
By this means all necessity br check lists, registers and double 
entries is obviated; a glance at the catalogue reveals the num- 
er of specimens of a any КӨ, вресїез їп {һе collection, {һе num- 
E of duplicates (if any), the desiderata, the num mber of species 
n a genus, of genera in a family, whilst the labels of the indivi- 
ifii specimens with numbers corresponding to the catalogue 
numbers s equally eloquent. 
n cataloguing zoological or botanical specimens by this 
decimal а опе meets with а difficulty which does not occur 
in cataloguing literature, since literature can be grouped under 
subject-headings which always remain constant, such as Geo- 
graphy, Geology, эзер ун, etc. ; but every biologist knows 
that new species, new genera, even new families are constantly 
E created by the sy asiste either from newly discovered 
forms or by the splitting up of old assemblages (for eem 
the абзы members of the genus Sciurus have been recently 
divided by Mr. Oldfield Thomas into five genera), all of ‘whieh 
necessitates the interpolation of new catalogue numbers into the 
pre- е series, and I must confess that, as yet, 1 have been 
unable volve a perfectly satisfactory means of coping with 
this difficulty. New species may generally be readily disposed of 
у being added on to those already catalogued, but new genera 
can not be so treated, since, by so doing, they may be separated 
