A NEW METHOD OF WRITING TRINOMIALS. 209 
“The Committee does not wish by this expression of 
/ opinion to encourage the insertion of authors’ names in 
general writing, except when they are needed to avoid am- 
biguity. Mr. Moulton’s devices are best suited for such 
systematic lists as those in which he has emploved them.” 
The type to be used is of some importance. In criticism of 
my method it has been suggested that capitals and small capitals. 
would be better than small capitals and italics, because italics are 
so generally used to denote a synonym. The disadvantage of this: 
is that capitals are so often required in systematic lists for sub- 
family names that it is desirable to reserve a less prominent type 
for the genus and species when written together in this way. 
Small capitals or clarendon would appear the most suitable for the 
genus and species with italics for the subspecies. 
The inclusion of authors’ names undoubtedly has a cumber- 
some effect and should only be employed in systematic hsts or 
detailed monographs. In other works it is reasonable to omit 
them altogether; in fact for general purposes it should often suf- 
fice to give only the specific name and omit the subspecific name.,. 
unless there is any point in drawing attention to the subspecific 
distinction of the particular form under discussion. 
The usual method of abbreviation in writing Latin names for 
well-known genera and species, or for genera en have been 
discussed already in any particular paper, is to give the initial 
letter of the genus instead of the name in full; thus Hlephas 
MAXIMUS, becomes E. mazimus. This system can be extended 
with advantage in the case of subspecies; thus, in discussing the 
subspecies of the Asiatic Elephant, reference would be made to the 
Sumatran form as #. m. sumatranus. In systematic lists, ac- 
cording to the method introduced by me and approved for such 
Bees by the British Association Committee on Zoological 
ibliography and Publication, this would read: ELEPHAS MAXIMUS 
Linn. sumatranus Temim., but tor general purposes the abbrev- 
lated form as written above is regarded as more suitable. 
R. A. Soc., No. 85, 1922. 
