Science in Utopia. 701 
of distributing a monthly official statement of all titles registered 
under the proper rubric. The expense of such a record is jointly 
provided for by the parliament and the general government. 
In case a publication contains proposals of new species or new 
modifications of classification the rules further require that a separate 
slip bearing the name and a diagnosis in the scientific language of 
Utopia of each such species or modification proposed accompany the 
paper. These are entered under the proper head if, after examina- 
tion by a special committee they are found to conform to the rules 
of nomenclature adopted by the parliament. If the name be im- 
perfectly formed or duplicated the committee is directed to return 
to the author for correction. 
The name and systematic position of each species is published in 
the monthly bulletin. At the next biennial session the proper 
sections of the parliament or committees appointed by them examine 
the diagnoses of species proposed during the previous term with a 
view to eliminate any possible synonyms. It is always understood 
that uncertainty stands to the credit of the proposed species. The 
work of this committee, my informant said, was found very delicate 
and there was difficulty in inducing those best qualified to serve. 
However, its reports are subject to revision in open section meeting 
and, on the whole, are most useful. 
The result, continued my informant, has been to place wholesome 
restraint upon the professional species-maker as well as to make it 
possible for all conscientious students to avoid infringement on 
the rights of others. The fear of the scrutiny of the committee- 
room acts as a check on careless description, while the biennial 
reports periodically clears up any ambiguity. Of course there 
were many who felt themselves aggrieved by arbitrary decisions, 
but not so many as those who under the old lack of system justly 
complained of the freaks of fortune and the injustice of powerful 
rivals. The general opinion seemed to be that, in the long run, 
“very one received a fair measure of justice from this novel parlia- 
ment, 
; It also appears that this central organization has depositaries 
in all the larger cities of Utopia and in the libraries of the various 
learned societies and that it is becoming quite the thing for every 
author to send a copy of systematic papers to each of these 
