File:British birds (1909) (20408480202).jpg

Title: British birds
Identifier: britishbirds319091910lond (find matches)
Year: 1907 (1900s)
Authors:
Subjects: Birds
Publisher: London, Witherby & Co
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

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ifflOTES THE WOOD-PIGEON "DIPHTHERIA." In our issue for December last (p. 214) we asked our readers' co-operation in a third enquiry into the Wood-Pigeon disease. A schedule was affixed to the cover of each copy of that issue, and it was asked that our readers would fill up the schedule with all the observations made up to the middle of March. We particularly request every reader to fill up the schedule, whether Wood-Pigeons have been numerous or not, or whether the disease has been present or not in his district. Eds. STRICTEST PRIORITY IN NOMENCLATURE. In the last number of British Birds (p. 299) the Editor wrote a note against strict priority in nomenclature. Needless to say I do not agree with him. For twenty years I have earnestly considered the question of nomenclature in ornitho- logy, and have discussed it at various annual meetings of the German Ornithological Society and at two Congresses, and I have, perhaps, written more long and short articles on the question than any other living ornithologist, though most of them may not have been read by British birdmen, being written in German. The gratifying result of my endeavours is that strictest priority is now generally adopted and followed not only in America—where it was done before—but also in Europe. " Nomenclature " is a necessary evil. Experience has shown that only one way leads out of the present un- certainty and instability (compare Seebohm's, Saunders', Dresser's, and Sharpe's works on British and European birds !), viz., strict priority. Nobody can deny that we must once reach finality if the oldest name is used without exception. That this end is speedily approached is evident to all who want to see it, thanks to the exertions of those who have the means and literary knowledge to examine the rights of early names. The Editor of British Birds considers that their energy " could be much more profitably employed," but I think that men like Professor Lonnberg, Hellmayr, Richmond, Oberholser, myself and others know themselves best how to employ their time. Mr. Witherby does not do a good service to the memory of our deceased friend

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