832 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XXI. No. 543. 



synonym Dactylis cynosuroides L., we must 

 consider this as primarily a change of name, 

 although the plant he describes comes from 

 Hudson Bay, and probably is Spartina cynos- 

 uroides as generally understood, that is, the 

 plant from the interior, with few spikes. 



Spartina cynosuroides Willd. Enum. 1 : 80. 

 1809, must also be considered as a typonym 

 of Dactylis cynosuroides L., since it is pri- 

 marily a change of name. The description 

 also applies. The two synonyms cited are 

 D. cynosuroides Willd. Sp. 1 : 40, which is 

 based on Ait. Hort. Kew. 1 : 103, which in its 

 turn is based on Dactylis cynosuroides L. sp. 

 2d Ed. 104, and secondly upon Trachynotia 

 cynosuroides Michx. 



It is evident that Michaux took up Lin- 

 naeus' name for the wrong plant, and his two 

 species T. cynosuroides and T. polystachya 

 must stand as synonyms. This leaves without 

 a name the plant which Michaux describes 

 under T. cynosuroides. 



It is not best to be too arbitrary in deciding 

 such cases and thus be led into an absurdity. 

 This is particularly true for Linnsean species, 

 as the conditions are unusual. Linnseus is 

 introducing a new system and gives specific 

 names to a large number of plants already 

 well known. Judgment should be used so 

 that a blind following of rules will not lead 

 us into untenable positions. The American 

 species are quite likely to be based upon type 

 specimens which agree with his description. 

 If there is no specimen in the Linnsean Her- 

 barium the type should be traced, if possible, 

 to a definite plate. If there are no plates and 

 there is a conflict of cited descriptions, much 

 care and study may be necessary in deciding 

 upon what shall be a substitute for the type. 



It is to be noted that there are many species 

 of plants for which there are no nomencla- 

 torial types. Only a few of Walter's grasses 

 described in his 'Flora Caroliniana' are pre- 

 served in his herbarium now deposited in the 

 British ]\Iuseum. Names of species not rep- 

 resented in this collection are based upon 

 descriptions and one can only say there is no 

 type specimen. It may be that there is not 

 in existence the type specimen of a species, 

 according to the rules quoted, yet there may 



be other specimens which for practical pur- 

 poses may take the place of the type. Many 

 type specimens were lost at the time Professor 

 Scribner's herbarium was destroyed by fire. 

 Where there are duplicate types (specimens 

 of a set or series bearing the same number 

 or other data to show that they are a part of 

 the same series) one of these may be chosen. 

 It may be necessary to select a second or sub- 

 sequently cited specimen to take the place of 

 the type, when the latter is known to be lost. 

 In all cases such a selection should be done 

 by a monographer who has had opportunity 

 to give the matter careful study. 



A type specimen may consist of more than 

 one individual plant. Consequently portions 

 of the type specimen may be deposited in dif- 

 ferent places. In the National Herbarium are 

 portions of the types of many species of grass- 

 es, such as those of Trinius, Muhlenberg and 

 Elliott, sometimes consisting of an individual, 

 more often of spikelets. These cases should 

 not be confused with those mentioned above, 

 where a description may have been drawn 

 from all the specimens of a given number, 

 one of which was retained in the author's 

 herbarium and the remainder distributed. It 

 would seem better, here, to distinguish the 

 specimen or sheet of specimens in the author's 

 herbarium as the type. 



Finally, the following suggestions as to 

 nomenclature are submitted: 



Duplicate type: Specimens of the same 

 series or set as the type as indicated by the 

 number or other data. 



Co-tjT)e: A specimen cited with the original 

 description in addition to the type specimen. 



A. S. Hitchcock. 



U. S. Department of Agricultube. 



CURRENT NOTES ON METEOROLOGY. 



MOUNTAIN SICKNESS IN THE SIKHIM HIMALAYA. 



Although much has been written about the 

 physiological effects of high altitudes, every 

 new contribution to the subject is of interest. 

 In a recent account of ' The Sikhim Him- 

 alaya ' (Scot. Geogr. Mag., April, 1905), Mr. 

 Douglas W. Freshfield gives the following 

 summary of his party's experiences: Mountain 



