4 GARMAN'S LIST OP 



or polynomiiils affected by different authors, can hardly be 

 considered improvements. Such names as, for example, 

 Cinosternum ( Thyrosternum) pennsylvanicimi pennsylvan- 

 icum (v) X, or Tropidonotus {Nerodia) compressicaudus 

 compressicaudus ßavirosiins (v) y, if there were varieties, 

 have the appearance of doubtful advances from a binomial 

 System. According to that System, if Vfirst describes a spe- 

 cies uuder a certain title, and W discovers oiie closely allied 

 — giving it a uame — and X says W's species is not suffi- 

 ciently distinct, X is entitled to the credit rather than W, 

 and the formula reads Genus (Subgenus) species subspecies 

 (V) X. That is, V is ciedited with a form he never savv, 

 and W is discredited by X who chiims to rank with V be- 

 cause, for whatever reason, possibly insufficient knovvl- 

 edge, he arrives at aconchision difFering from that of W. 

 If there are varieties, Y may displace X, and for author- 

 ities we sliould have (Y) Y, or, if Z discovers that Y's 

 variety is out of place, (V) Z, and in either case the 

 authorities cited may give us no information concerning 

 the form to vvhich the names refer. 



If we are now to adopt a polynomial System, we might, 

 to be more consistent, accept the names given before 

 Linne's time. 



The modification suggested in the binomials consists in 

 using a symbol, a letter, to represent each form or race of 

 a species with its history or synonymy. To illustrate, 

 Eutcenia sirtalis Linn. ; B. & G., is the first (A) of a 

 group of forms of the species sirtalis, Linne being au- 

 thority for the species, and Baird and Girard for its posi- 

 tion in the genus. The A can always be undeistood and 

 need not be written with the ürst described form. If 

 either the symbol or the name following it is in italics 

 there can be no confusion. 



B Eutoenioe sii'talis is the form to Avhich Catesby gave 

 the name Vipera gracilis macidatus, afterward named by 



