8 
allowed and because the details are such that they could not readily be 
followed except by mycologists who have studied the question minutely. 
I have no right to encroach further on your patience and need only, in 
conclusion, repeat that the Species Plantarum is quite unfit to serve as a 
basis for the nomenclature of fungi, and that the Systema of Fries seems 
to me to be better adapted for the purpose than any other work. In 
any case to go back earlier than the Synopsis of Persoon would only 
tend to perpetuate the present uncertainty and confusion and would 
open the door to those who, regarding nomenclature as an end in itself 
and not merely a means by which the necessary evil of naming plants 
can be reduced to a minimum, devote time and labor to the undesir- 
able task of unearthing names which are at the best uncertain, at the 
sacrifice of names which have been in universal use for many years, 
and whose meaning is perfectly clear. To my mind the object should 
be, not to attempt to seek perfection in authority and priority — a 
hopeless task — but rather to select the best solid basis in some com- 
prehensive work. Even then, there is the question of genera con- 
servanda^ and I believe that, whatever work or date is adopted, it will 
be most desirable to adopt a list of genera conservanda. There is 
nothing illogieal in this and practically there are great advantages 
unless one believes in the theory that mere changing of names is a 
merit in science. That theory I certainly do not accept, but hold that 
the fewer changes of names the better. 
It has been my misfortune never to have found anything perfect. 
Some of my friends have perfect systems of classifications of books, 
of herbaria or of plants. In trying to apply perfect methods I always 
recall a visit in company with Sir Joseph Hooker to an establishment 
not a thousand miles from here. The person in charge said, ^^we 
think we have a perfect museum-case which we would like to show you.^^ 
^^Yes’’ said Sir Joseph, am always glad to see what I have never 
seen. But what do you keep in the case?’^ A key was produced, 
but by no amount of coaxing and forcing could the case be opened. 
* From a paper by Austin H. Clark in Science of Jan. 28, 1910, entitled The strict 
Application of the Law of Priority to Generic Names, we are apparently warranted in 
believing that the principle of adopting genera conservanda is approved by a large 
number of zoologists. 
