236 



LEAFLETS. 



tations in philosophy ; and so does the following : " Bosstkia is 

 not properly published," etc. Mark the distinction. It is not 

 said that Bossekia is not published, but only that its publication 

 i3 not "properly" made; is not, as to form and method, con- 

 formed to the newest and latest edition of a certain " Code." One 

 not too near-sighted must readily foresee here the open door to 

 utter lawlessness as to the adoption of generic names. Under 

 the distinction made, each earlier edition of Linnaeus' great 

 Genera Plantarum may be closed and shelved. Genera may not 

 be cited from it, because, though adequately published, they are 

 not " properly " published ! This thing has already been done, 

 and I now see why. Again, and for a different illustration. 

 All the new genera of Bentham, published in his Genera Plan- 

 tarum, without naming species, have no status as genera. To 

 the man who first identifies, by sure and certain inference, the 

 species of such genus and gives them names, and not to Bentham, 

 will be ascribed the authorship of each such genus ! If he choose 

 to ignore Bentham's generic name and coin a new one, Mr. Eyd- 

 berg will adopt that new one, (despite his own saying that the 

 law of priority is fundamental), and relegate the prior name to 

 synonymy. In the case of Necker's genera, I may prove to all 

 the botanical world the identity of one of his genera, declaring 

 its type beyond all question. Mr. Eydberg may admit that it is 

 published, but not " properly, " and uphold stubbornly his own 

 synonym of that genus, and make Necker's clearly published 

 name the synonym. This will be lawlessness; and I shall look 

 for a flood of it. 



I am under renewed obligations to the writer in Torreya. He 

 has lightened the darkness of my former ignorance about Dali- 

 barda. He has given me a fine array of texts — several here 

 unnoted — to head some chapters of a partly written volume. 

 Since the first reading of his paper I enjoy a deeper insight into 

 the meaning of that ancient worthy who once exclaimed : 



" Oh ! that njiuQ 3,dver8arjr had written a book! " 



