264 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Mat 1, 1884. 



tut[dl j§i§t° r U* 



APPLICATION OF TRINOMIAL NOMEN- 

 CLATURE TO ZOOLOGY. 



BY DR. EI/LTOTT COUES. 



[Spoken before the National Aeademv of Sciences at the stated 

 session held in Washington, April 15-18, 1881, and stenographi- 

 cally reported by C. J). Geduey of the tJ, S. Coast Survey.] 



,Mr. President ant] Gentlemen of the Aeorlemy: 



I have no formal paper to present to-day* on the subject 

 of the Application of Trinomial Nomenclature -to Zoology; 

 but speaking off-hand, 1 wish to offer a few remarks upon a 

 subject at the present time attracting much attention — upon 

 a matter which has come up within the last few years, and 

 which bids fair to effect a very decided change in our sys- 

 tem of naming objects in biology. In former years I have 

 not thought it necessary to bring the matter to the notice of 

 the National Academy of Sciences, because it had not then 

 assumed a status or position which appeared to warrant such 

 a course. Now, however, it seems probable that a decided 

 innovation upon a system of nomenclature which has been 

 in vogue for a century and a quarter is likely to be made, at 

 least in one department of zoology. The question is, there- 

 fore, whether that innovation is desirable or not — whether 

 the change is to be accepted or rejected; and, if accepted, 

 how far it is likely to be applicable to other departments of 

 zoology, as well as to ornithology. 



As is well known to you all, since Linnaeus established a 

 binomial system of nomenclature in which each organism 

 should be known by two terms, generic and specific — since 

 1758, when that system was first consistently and systemati- 

 cally applied to zoology, there has been until the last few 

 years no formal or decided change in that Linugean method; 

 it has become ingrained in the study of biology, and is, in a 

 sense, supposed to be essential to" a methodic system of 

 zoology. But it will be remembered that in the long period 

 which has ensued since the time of which I speak, the idea 

 of what constitutes a species in zoology, and, I may add, in 

 botany, has radically and entirely changed. It seems pro- 

 bable, therefore, that a system of nomenclature perfectly 

 adequate and applicable to a former status of zoological 

 thought, may become, in the course of time, inapplicable to 

 the later stage of science. And such appears to be the case. 

 In former years, a species was supposed to be a more or less 

 distinct creation. It was, moreover, supposed to be possible 

 to say of a given organism whether it was or was not specifi- 

 cally distinct from another given organism. At the present 

 day", largely through the influence of the Darwinian Theory 

 of Evolution, which has become established within the last 

 quarter of a century, we know that one animal may not be 

 specifically distinct from another, and yet be sufficiently dif- 

 ferentto require recognition in some manner, which a sys- 

 tem of nomenclature, to be valid and adequate, must provide 

 for The question is, therefore, how shall we recognize it? 

 That is a subject which has lomr occupied the attention of 

 zoologists, and they have been working up to the present 

 state of trinomialism by virtue of what may be termed sub- 

 terfuges. That is to say, a given organism not sufficiently 

 distinct from another to receive a specific name, has been 

 called a "variety," a "sub-species," a "con-species," a "geo- 

 graphical race," or a "climatic variation." Various terms of 

 this sort have gradually crept into the nomenclature of 

 zoology to indicate the still imperfectly differentiated, still 

 incompletely segregated forms, but always with the inter- 

 vention of some sign or other, as the sign 'war.," or with the 

 letters of the alphabet, "a," "b." "c," or with the abbrevia- 

 tion "subsp.,'" etc., intervening between the binomial name 

 of the creature, and the varietal designation which follows; 

 as 7 ;■'!■> >/,* for the robin, Turdfya migratorfaia var, 



pfophtqinis for its Western variety, and so on, whatever the 

 given case may be. 



This has long seemed to me an entirely unnecessary, super- 

 fluous, somewhat awkward and cumbersome method of deal- 

 ing with the nomenclatural technique of our science, and it 

 has recently come to pass that this needlessly intervening 

 term or sign has been entirely done away with by the lead- 

 ing ornithologists of this country. The latest lists of our 

 birds discard it altogether, and present a decided and radical 

 innovation upon any binomial nomenclature, by employing 

 the three terms consecutively without the intervention of 

 any sign whatever, as, Tardus migratorim propinquus. This 

 method, moreover, as used by competent ornithologists, 

 has a meaning and significance of its own. It is not 

 simply a question of recognizing any variation, any ab- 

 normality, any sport, as I may call it, any variety in the 

 old sense of the word; for we proceed upon a perfectly 

 definite, well-understood and recognized principle of varia- 

 tion, viz., variation according to conditions of physical envi- 

 ronment, using this term in the largest sense, to cover all 

 those exterior influences which exert a modifying influence 

 upon animal organisms. 



From our study of North American birds, which are per- 

 haps better known than the same number of birds of any 

 other portion of the world, we have so exactly traced their 

 geographical variations, that we are enabled in some cases 

 to positively foretell what will be the characteristics of a 

 given bird in a given geographical area. In one case at least, 

 within my knowledge, before any specimens were received, 

 a given set of sub-specific characters were hypothetically 

 assigned to a bird [Jimco cormeet$ua Coues] from a particular 

 region; and, upon receipt of specimens, the hypothetical 

 characters of the presumed sub-species were confirmed. 



Here is the definite principle and rule of action in the am- 

 plication of such trinomials: That the third term of the 

 technical name is given to climatic or geographical races 

 varying according to known conditions, as latitude, elevation, 

 temperature, moisture and conditions of all sorts. The prac- 

 tice, therefore, has a, logical basis, a consistent^ possibility of 

 Strict scientific application. It appears to me to be a simple, 

 natural and easy way of disposing of a large number of 

 intermediate forms which have not become specifically dis- 

 tinct from their respective nearest allies. It is quite true that 

 the recognition of this result of climatic conditions is largely 

 a matter of tact and judgment, and that it is not always 

 possible to say whether a given organism is or is not "speci- 

 fically" distinct from another. 



There is in this use of trinomials, as you perceive, a prin- 

 ciple of practicable application entirely different from the more 

 arbitrary naming of varieties, such as sports andabnormalties. 

 And the question is, what status is this principle likely to ob- 

 tain in biology? The status that trinomialism lias already ac- 

 quired in ornithology is this: that it is likely in the near 

 future to receive the sanction of the entire body of the 



* April 18. 



American Ornithologists' Union, and is already in use by 

 ornithologists almost without exception in this country. 

 Likewise, in Europe, the trinomial system is beginning to be 

 employed in the very stronghold of British conservatism, in 

 the British Ornithologists' Union — one of the leading orni- 

 thologists in that country having recently published some 

 monographs of birds, in which that system is applied. 

 Trinomialism is known as the "American school" of orni- 

 thology, and the central idea is the "American idea" of orni- 

 thology. It is in general use in this country. 



Under these circumstances, speaking as one who is largely 

 responsible for the growth and spread of trinomial nomen- 

 clature, I have no hesitation in laying the matter before the 

 Academy, for an expression of the views of members present, 

 as to its applicability to other branches of biology, and to 

 inquire whether it seems likely to become a permanent fea- 

 ture of biological science. 



DISCUSSION. 



In the discussion which followed upon this communication, 

 Dr. Theo. Gill said that the question so well discussed by 

 Dr. Coues was one of terminology, but not only one of termin- 

 ology. It was well known to all how much these termin- 

 ological appliances had accelerated and facilitated research. 

 The views expressed were almost a necessary result of pro- 

 found study of our bird fauna, and the logical application of 

 the doctrine of evolution. 



In a time when belief in the creation of animals was prac- 

 tically universal, the name given to any species indicated the 

 condition of things under which an animal was supposed to 

 have come into existence. Had the animals of this country 

 alone been studied, we would ultimately have been led to 

 believe in the doctrine of evolution. No one could take up 

 the study of the birds or other animals of this country with- 

 out seeing that between certain extremes, the differences are 

 so radical that differentiation into species would be necessary. 

 Such had been the history of ornithology. In early times 

 we knew simply the birds' of the Eastern slope. Then we 

 named them as species with limited range of variation. 

 Later, numbers of forms were obtained in the West, and 

 these forms, although somewhat alike, were also differen- 

 tiated as species, distinct from those found in the East, and 

 were so named. But still later, large collections were grad- 

 ually amassed from the intervening regions of the great 

 interior, and these were elaborately studied (in collections 

 sometimes of hundreds), and many were the Eastern and 

 Western so-called species thereby connected. But then it 

 became evident that something more should be done than 

 merely lock together into one heterogeneous fold forms so 

 different. Then it was that this trinomial system came into 

 use as a very convenient tool for the distinction of the var- 

 ious intermediate forms. Ultimately a philosophy became 

 the result of study and practice, so that now we can at once, 

 by the inspection of a catalogue, approximately ascertain 

 whether the forms are radically distinct, what variation ex- 

 isted between the extremes of form, and by the trinomial 

 names, whether a given species was variable and whether it 

 was manifest under a number of modifications. 



In this trinomial system we have an example of a scheme 

 by which we can become cognizant of the amount, to a cer- 

 tain extent, of variation in a given group. By this con- 

 venient means we are also enabled to differentiate the char- 

 acters, and to give at once to the mind of the reader or 

 student, some idea of the range of characters that may be 

 deemed to prevail in a certain group. 



Turning to Dr. Coues's request for information with regard 

 to other groups, Dr. Gill said that it was true that we have 

 in other groups a similar applicability of these principles. 

 A number of examples are afforded in the case of the fishes, 

 insects and mollusks, where the naturalist is compelled to 

 degrade some forms and admit them as simple variations and 

 sub-species. This scheme would also come in as a con- 

 venient tool for the differentiation of recent from fossil 

 forms, there being a number of extinct forms very much like 

 those now existing - , which are regarded by some as con- 

 specific and by others as different, receiving different names. 

 Prof. Wm. H. Brewer remarked that, as a matter of con- 

 venience, this was about the only way that we could scien- 

 tifically describe many varieties of cultivated plants and 

 breeds of domesticated animals, which differ from one 

 another much as species do, the differences, however, being 

 less constant. Already some agricultural writers, who have 

 knowledge of natural* history, are beginning to adopt this 

 method in the description of* cultivated plants, both useful 

 and ornamental. 



Dr. Gill said in regard to this question: "We have had a 

 condition 'of things which must appeal to the sense of the 

 ludicrous. In former times there was an undivided belief in 

 creation, and yet we had before us our domesticated animals 

 and cultivated vegetables, exhibiting these excessive varia- 

 tions — so great, that if seen in nature, they would be differ- 

 entiated not only into species, but different genera. Take 

 the dog. We were told the dog was a species — by some said 

 to be created for the use of man. What is the dog? It is 

 not a species in any sense of the word; it is simply a conju- 

 gation of forms, derivatives from a number of wild species. 

 The dog is not a species; it is the result under cultivation 

 and domestication of the off -spring of half a dozen different 

 species. It is a composite which itself shows the. processes 

 of development in a marked degree, so that we have in what 

 is popularly known as the dog, a combination of species and 

 even genera." 



Dr. Coues said it gave him great pleasure to note the ex- 

 tent of the indorsement given to this system; but that he had 

 expected that some one would have put forward the ob- 

 jections which might be raised. As none appeared to be 

 forthcoming, he would venture to state some of them him- 

 self. The purpose of the trinomial system, the Doctor con- 

 tinued, is an obvious one, yet that system is so sharp a to<51 

 that without great care in handling, one is apt to cut his fin- 

 gers with it. It is of such pliability and elasticity, and lends 

 itself so readily to little things, that in naming forms, one is 

 tempted to push discriminations beyond reasonable and due 

 bounds. It gives one an opportunity— even a temptation— 

 to enter into f aunal catalogues and lists of animals an almost 

 indefinite number of very slightly differentiated forms in 

 any department of zoology— forms which perhaps only the 

 eve trained in that special line is able to satisfactorily dis- 

 ciminate. We therefore have in our lists a number of so- 

 called geographic and climatic races which no one but their 

 discoverer or describer is able to recognize or appreciate. 

 This is the real difficulty— the real objection to the system- 

 its abuse in the hands of immature specialists. Dr. Coues 

 said with some emphasis, that since he had ventured to bring 

 the matter to the attention of the Academy, he would not 

 conclude without adding the word of caution, that the tri- 

 nomial system must not be pushed too far; otherwise, almost 

 immediately, our catalogues would be insufferably overbur- 



dened with nominal sub-species, too slightly differentiated to 

 require any formal recognition by name. 



[Note.— In the business meeting of tlie Academy, which 

 ensued after the public session, "Dr. Coues introduced a 

 resolution, which was referred to tbe Council, that a com- 

 mittee of five be appointed to investigate the subject of 

 zoological nomenclature, with reference to the establishment 

 of a more uniform system.] 



DEER IN THE AD1RONDACKS. 



BY C. H. ME1TRI.VM:, M..D. 



[From advance sheets of the Transactions of tlie Linneau Society of 

 New YoiaV.J 



Ceinneus Ylrginianus (Eodd.) Gray. 



COMMON DEER; VIRGINIA DEFR; EEIJ DEEK ; WHITE 

 TAILED DEER. 



A niters. 



THE branching and gracefully curved antlers which adorn 

 the heads of the bucks, and contribute so largely to the 

 elegant appearance of the animal, are shed and renewed 

 every year. Their growth is so rapid that the full size is 

 usually reached in about three months, and they fall off 

 about four months afterward. They are first seen with us. 

 as a rule, about the middle of May, appearing as soft, dark- 

 colored and rapidly-elongating vascular excrescences. They 

 harden from below upward, and by the time the growth is 

 complete all but the tips is well ossified. The soft, skin- 

 like material, called the velvet, with which they are covered, 

 now begins to peel off iu irregular strips and shreds, and by 

 the early part or middle of September the horns are gen- 

 erally clean. The velvet does not come away of itself, but 

 is rubbed and scraped off against shrubs and 'small trees, as 

 if the antlers itched at the period of maturity. The Hon. 

 Judge Caton, of Ottawa. III., whose facilities for observa- 

 tion in this field have rarely been equalled, makes tbe follow- 

 ing statement, which will, by many, be received with sur- 

 prise: "The evidence, derived from a very great multitude 

 of observations, made through a course of years, is couclu 

 sive that nature prompts the animal to denude its antlers of 

 their covering, at a certain period of its growth, while yet 

 the blood has as free access to that covering as it ever had."* 

 Seasonal Changes in. Pelage. 

 Descriptions of the pelages of our mammals do not fall 

 within the scope of the present work; hut the seasonal 

 changes in the coat of the deer have so much to do with its 

 life history that a brief glance at the distinctive features of 

 these changes is necessary. Our deer shed their coats twice 

 each year, in June and (September; and, from the general 

 appearance of the pelage, are said to be in the red coat in 

 summer, and in the blue or gray coat during the rest of the 

 year. The gray is merely the 'blue after it has become old 

 and worn, for in maturing it loses the handsome blue ap- 

 pearance that characterizes the first few weeks of its growth. 

 These seasonal changes are not confined to color alone, for 

 there is an equally radical difference in tbe length and tex- 

 ture of the hair. In summer it is fine and short, and lacks 

 the wavy look that is always noticeable at other times. In 

 winter it is long and coarse, has a crinkled appearance, and 

 the individual hairs are so large and light that the animal 

 will float iu water. I 



Judge Caton, whose spacious deer parks and carefully re- 

 corded observations have contributed so largely to our 

 knowledge of this species, has published the most accurate, 

 detailed and complete account of the changes of pelage, that 

 has ever appeared in print. From his extended remarks 

 upon this subject I quote the following brief passages : "The 

 change' from the summer to the winter coat is gradual, tbe 

 new displacing the old by dislodging the hairs promiscu- 

 ously, till they become so thin that the new coat is teen 

 through the old. This is not simultaneous over the wdiole 

 animal, for the neck and shoulders may be clothed entirely 

 with the new dress, while the old still prevails on the thighs 

 and rump ; or the winter coat may have replaced the old 

 on the back, while the belly still shows only the summer 

 pelage. When the winter has replaced the summer garb, 

 the hairs are short, fine and soft; but they rapidly grow in 

 length and diameter, and undergo the changes of color 

 peculiar to the species. At first they lie down smoothly, 

 but presently the diameter becomes so great that they force 

 each other up to a more vertical position, or at right angles 

 to the skin. As the diameters increase, the cavities within 

 enlarge and become filled with a very light pith, and they 

 become brittle and lose their elasticity, so that the integrity 

 of the walls is destroyed when sharply bent, and they remain 

 in the given position."! 



The exact period of shedding and of renewal of the coat 

 varies somewhat from year to year; and it does not always 

 take place at the same 'time in all the deer of the region, 

 during the same season. It evidently depends in great meas- 

 ure, if not wholly, upon the condition of the animal al Hie 

 time of the moult, and this is determined mainly by the way 

 the deer wintered. After severe winters many are poor and 

 ill-conditioned, and they do not put on the red coat till late in 

 June, or even till the first of July— the blue being correspond- 

 ingly delayed. If, on the other hand, the winter has been a 

 iniki one, and the supply of beechnuts large, the deer have 

 probably wintered well, and come out fat. and healthy in the 

 spring. * In this case they shed the old gray coats early, and 

 the red may be seen covering a large part of the animal l >y the 

 middle of June, or even earlier. These deer assume the blue 

 coat very early, and the change may be well advanced by 

 the last of August, 



Deer rut in November, the season commonly extending 

 from the latter part of October till the first week in Decem- 

 ber As this period approaches, the necks ol the bucks be- 

 come enormously enlarged, || and their whole demeanor is 

 changed. Instead of treading cautiously through the forest 

 they bow rush wildly about, tracking the does by the scent; 

 and when two or more bucks meet, fierce conflicts ensue. 



In these engagements their antlers sometimes become in- 

 terlocked, so that the combatants cannot free themselves, and 

 both most inevitably perish. My father has a set of locked 

 horns that were found, with the carcasses attached, frozen 

 in the ice on Pine Creek, in Lewis county, several winters 



*Xhe Antelope and Deer of America. By John Dean Caton, LL. D. , 



tit must 'not be forgotten, however, that, deer are commonly poor 

 in summer and fat in autumn and early winter. Hence, the later in 

 ihe season the more nearly will the specific gravity of the animal 

 approacli thatof water. Consequently, a much smaller amount of 

 buoyant material will suffice to float the animal in October and No- 

 vember than in July, August and September. 



tAntelope and Deer of America, pp. 12B~1. 



(As early as the last wcej in October I measured the neck of a buck 

 that was 30 inches CGi'mm.) in circumference, only I0incb.es behind 

 the ears. The maximum development is attained about the middle 

 of November. 



