Mr Gardiner, On the Unit of Classification, etc. 423 



On the Unit of Classification for Systematic Biology. A Reply 

 to Mr Bernard. By J. Stanley Gardiner, M.A., Fellow of 

 Gonville and Caius College. 



[Read 5 May 1902.] 



In a paper on the above subject (Proc. Camb. Phil. Soc. Vol. XI. 

 p. 268, 1901) Mr Bernard proposes a method of classification on 

 a novel system by localities. The specimens of a collection are 

 to be divided into the forms for each locality, and each form is 

 to be termed X. loc. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 etc. in accordance with the number 

 of forms in that locality. 



I may say at the outset that Mr Bernard's scheme has many 

 merits, which have been very ably put forward, but I must at the 

 same time remark that it is open to several objections, so serious 

 that, in my view, its ultimate adoption is impossible. It is, however, 

 eminently desirable that the method should be tested on a few 

 genera of corals, and it is hoped that the authorities of the British 

 Museum with their immense collections will publish their next 

 few catalogues of corals in this form. In any case such catalogues, 

 considering variation in a thorough and unique manner, as it is 

 necessary they should, cannot fail to be of the highest scientific 

 interest and importance. 



In the first place no attempt has been made by Mr Bernard 

 to define accurately what is meant by the term form. Each form 

 is said to be " an aggregate of structural characters regarded in the 

 abstract." Now form is taken as the unit of classification, and 

 for scientific purposes, as Mr Bernard proposes to use it, must 

 be capable of exact definition. Is it, however, more fitted for 

 accurate determination than species or variety ? So far as I have 

 seen in corals the specimens of any collection have three classes of 

 characters. Supposing that fifteen characters — a purely arbitrary 

 number — may be perceived in the skeleton of any specimen, 

 about five will belong to the genus, including in this class the 

 family and group characters as well, five to the species and five 

 to the specimen. The generic characters can admittedly be 



