70 THE AMERICAN NATURALIST. [VOL. XXXIII. 
About 6000 species and 1183 genera, with probably nearly as 
many subspecies and subgenera, are marshaled in due order in the 
first four fasciculi aside from synonyms, with full bibliographical 
references to each, including not only the original place of descrip- 
tion but nearly all of the more important subsequent references, 
including geographical references to localities. The labor involved 
in this compilation is thus beyond easy conception, and its value to 
Dr. Trouessart’s fellow-workers is inestimable. KAA 
Generic and Family Names of Rodents. — Since the comple- 
tion of that portion of Dr. Trouessart’s Catalogus Mammalium 
treating of the Rodents, two important papers have appeared relat- 
ing especially to the generic and family names of this numerous 
order of mammals. The first, by Mr. Oldfield Thomas, curator of 
mammals in the British Museum, is entitled “On the Genera of 
Rodents: an attempt to bring up to date the current arrangement 
of the order.” ! The other, by Dr. T. S. Palmer, of the Biological 
Survey, U. S. Department of Agriculture, is entitled “A List of the 
Generic and Family Names of Rodents.” ? 
As noted by Mr. Thomas, one of the most important previous 
papers on the same subject was Mr. Alston’s “ On the Classification 
of the Order Glires,” published in 1876. Mr. Alston was extremely 
conservative in his views, recognizing only 18 families and 100 
genera, as against 21 families and 159 genera admitted by Mr. 
Thomas. ‘Of the additional 59 genera,” says Mr. Thomas, “just 
about one-half are formed by the breaking up of old genera, and half 
are altogether new discoveries.” Many old names, however, have 
had to be changed to bring them into conformity with current rules 
of nomenclature. On this point Mr. Thomas says: “It is with the 
greatest regret that I have had to use a good many names unfamiliar 
to English naturalists, but the evidence in every case is so clear as 
to leave no room for doubt, and none are mere matters of opinion. 
Recognizing that the ultimate-use of these names is inevitable, I think 
the sooner a knowledge of them is disseminated the sooner will the 
intermediate stage of confusion be passed through and done with.” 
Not only are we glad to see so eminent an authority take this sensi- 
ble position, but we are also gratified to find that he rejects emen- 
dations, using names in all cases as originally published by the 
author pepe them. A seriously disturbing element in the sta- 
a a Procetlinine of the Zoological Society of London, 1896, pp. 1012-28. 
a 2 Proc. ee tended hast ie vol. xi seh oe 7, 1897), PP- 241-70. 
