[Taxacom] Dating of volume 5 of Mémoires de la Société des Sciences Naturelles de Neuchâtel

[Carlos Alberto Martínez Muñoz]

Dear Taxacomers,
I am interested in information concerning the dating of parts/signatures of
volume 5 of the Mémoires de la Société des Sciences Naturelles de Neuchâtel
(1914). The volume contains new names in many groups (fungi, algae, ferns,
invertebrates, vertebrates, etc.), so maybe some of you already dealt with
dating reprints issued in advance of volume 5, or with duplicate
publication of taxa as new (e.g., labeled as new in the volume but also
published in a journal as new). Below I share the notes that I have written
so far.

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General notes:
- *The printing of the first 175 pages* of the Mémoires was *started at the
end of 1911 and continued through 1912*. Those pages were formally
announced as printed at the Society's meeting of *24.01.1913*. See the
Bulletin de la Société neuchâteloise des sciences naturelles, 40: 246 (
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/13016612).
- Printing of new contributions was probably made as soon as they arrived
and resources permitted. The work on *Thyphlonectes natans* by Fuhrmann was
presented at the Society's meeting of *01.11.1912*, and was printed as
pages 112-138, that is, a nearly immediate printing, within the first 175
pages printed in 1911-1912. See the Bulletin de la Société neuchâteloise
des sciences naturelles, 40: 243 (
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/13016609). I could not find a
reference to Fuhrmann presenting his work on Onychophora in either the
reports on volume 40 or 41.
- The appearance of the Mémoires, vol. 5, was finally announced in the
Society’s meeting of *06.11.1914*. See the Bulletin de la Société
neuchâteloise des sciences naturelles, 41: 177 (
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/12630717).

1) Ribaut's Chilopoda:
- The *Mémoires* article on *Chilopoda* by Ribaut starts on *page 67* (
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/48943944). I am not aware of a
separate publication elsewhere.
- The cover sheet on Rowland Shelley's copy of Ribaut’s paper on Chilopoda
states "1912”.
- That seems to be the same for a copy in possession of Carl Attems, who
gave "*? Sep. 1912*" as the publication date for volume 5, part 2,
containing *Scolopendra arthrorhabdoides* Ribaut and *Newportia fuhrmanni*
Ribaut.
- Ribaut's Chilopoda comprises signature 9 (from page 3/8) to signature 12
(to page 7/8), 29 pages in total.

2) Peracca's Reptilia and Amphibia:
- The *Mémoires* article on *Reptilia and Amphibia* by Peracca starts on *page
96* (https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/48943973). That is the
article immediately following Ribaut’s.
- Peracca's article comprises signature 12 (from page 8/8) to signature 14
(to page 7/8), 16 pages in total.
- A letter in the Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle, Neuchâtel, Switzerland,
dated *15.01.1913* and written by Peracca, thanks O. Fuhrmann for the
reprints “just received”. This date is consistent with the announcement of
the first 175 pages being printed, at the Society's meeting of *24.01.1913*.
Therefore, signatures were being distributed to authors, even before
announcing them at Society's meetings.

4) Fuhrmann's Onychophora:
- The *Mémoires* article on * Onychophora* by Fuhrmann starts on *page 176*
(https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/48944055).
- Fuhrmann's Onychophora comprises signature 22 (from page 8/8) to
signature 24 (to page 8/8), 17 pages in total.
- A German version was published in Zoologischer Anzeiger 42 (6), on
18.07.1913 (https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/9740094), as stated on
the cover page.
- On that cover page, footnote 1 refers to the French version as the
"definitive one" and reads "appears" (erscheint) in present tense. Thus,
there is a fair chance that the Mémoires Onychophora pages were distributed
before the Zoologischer Anzeiger number.

5) Carl's Diplopoda:
- The *Mémoires* article on * Diplopoda* by Carl starts on *page 821* (
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/48944724).
- Definitely published after 18.11.1913, as it contains a reference to the
Zoologischer Anzeiger 43 (2),which was published on that date.
- Partly published in Zoologischer Anzeiger 43 (10), on 17.02.1914 (
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/30145332).
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Kind regards,
Carlos

Carlos A. Martínez Muñoz
Zoological Museum, Biodiversity Unit
FI-20014 University of Turku
Finland
Myriatrix <http://myriatrix.myspecies.info/>
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