348 S. H. Scudder— Canons of Nomenclature. 
Art. XLVI.—Canons of Systematic Nomenclatur for the higher 
groups; by SAMUEL H. ScuppeEr. 
aware, 1s any likely to be presented, until the subject is aa 
Pro- 
7 
attention to the extensive changes which a strict adherence to 
the laws of priority would cause in the generic nomenclature 
of butterflies; and quite recently has put the same into practic 
in his catalogue of these insects 
But hitherto very little has been said concerning the special 
‘application of definite rules to groups higher than genera, and 
it is to this division of the subject that we desire to call atten 
tion, 
nomenclature should be applied to all the monomial grou : 
Unity of principle lies at the foundation of acceptable leg 
tion ; second, retrospective laws should be avoide a 
One difficulty meets us at the outset,— what some are plea 
to term the unstable nature of the higher groups, but which 
we should prefer to call the disagreement of naturalists be 
the limits and value of these groups; yet as this divers! iy 
view is a nearly equal hindrance to any code of rules, it 
only to be mentioned in passing. ancl 
ndeavoring to keep in mind the principles above e” 
ated, and as the simplest means of presenting our reer 
nv pea outline of a code is suggested for the consider 
of zoélogists. & 
Canons.—I. The name originally given by the founder oft 
emp should be permanently retained, to the exclusion , 
subsequent synonyms. ae he 
is rule, besbisnistig the law of priority, which lies ps the 
foundation of all systematic nomenclature, is the same 
* This Journal, July, 1869. 
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