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THE AM ERIC AX NATURALIST 



[Vol. XLI1 



8. Species must be so made as to be understood and 

 appreciated by the botanists for whom they are described. 

 A species has no legitimate reason for existence whose 

 limits are perceptible only to its maker. 



9. Experience must tell us what limitations of species 

 are most convenient. 



10. In making a species the guiding principle must be 

 that it shall be recognizable from its diagnosis. A species 

 that is not distinguishable by its diagnosis has no right 

 to existence. 



11. A diagnosis should be brief enough to be remem- 

 bered readily, for this reason Linne's twelve-word diag- 

 noses are worthy of imitation. 



12. Long and complex descriptions should never be 

 used for the limitation of species, and when such long 

 and complex descriptions are found to be necessary this 

 is a sufficient indication that the species should not be 



These aphorisms are merely illustrative, and by no 

 means cover the whole ground. Others will suggest 

 themselves, especially to those of you who have been 

 engaged in taxonomic work. It seems to me so desirable 

 that a reform in taxonomy should be instituted that 1 

 venture to suggest that this society appoint a committee 

 to report upon the feasibility of restoring species to their 

 original importance and dimensions, the possibility of 



and also of restricting publication to selected journals, 

 thus involving some kind of taxonomic censorship. 



