348 
Dr. P. L. Sclater on attaching 
used a short diagnosis for the designation of the species. 
Linnaeus converted the diagnosis into a single specific name, 
and established the system, now universally adopted, that 
animals and plants should have two scientific names and 
two names only —one that of the genus and the other that of 
the species. 
The immediate followers of Linnaeus adhered pretty closely 
to his rule, but in course of time, as the multitude of names 
increased, the custom arose of adding the name of the author 
to the generic and specific names. So far has this custom 
been carried by many writers that even the most familiar 
names,such as “Corvus corax” and Turdus inusicus,” are not 
considered to be complete unless the name of the authority 
be placed after them. Thus, if this custom be invariably 
followed, we should have in fact a trinomial system of 
nomenclature instead of the simple binomial system of 
Linnaeus. 
When the number of genera began to be augmented and 
the names of animals were often'transferred from one genus 
to another, it became a question whether the authority to 
be attached to the generic and specific names should be the 
name of the writer who first gave the species its specific name 
or the name of the writer who first placed the species in the 
proper genus and made a correct combination of the generic 
and specific names. After some discussion it was generally 
agreed that the name appended to the genus and species 
should be that of the writer who first described the species , 
but that if a subsequent writer transferred the species into 
a different genus, the first writer's name should be enclosed 
in brackets. Thus the name of the Song-Thrush still remains 
“ Turdus musicus ” but that of the Rock-Thrush, ie Turdus 
cyanus ” of Linnaeus, on being transferred into the genus 
Monticola, became Monticola cyanus (Linn.), not Monticola 
cyanus Boie. 
The question I now wish to consider is whether it is 
necessary or advisable to continue this practice of always 
adding the name of the author who first described the species 
to the generic and specific names, and thus, as I have said, 
