THE letter of Mr. Herbert Spencer in your issue of August 29, suggesting the use of a nomenclature to be used in connection with a scheme of colour standards, on a plan similar to that used by sailors in boxing the compass, is interesting, both because of its obvious appropriateness and because, as Mr. Spencer suggests may be the case, it has occurred to others. In a paper read before the American Association in 1890, I suggested the same idea, but at the same time stated that this would probably give more hues between the six standards than would be convenient in view of the uncertainty that will almost surely result in the mind of the common observer as to just which term should be applied in any one particular case. In view of this, I thought it wise to make the number of hues between the standards smaller than the compass chart would give. Those who have applied the standard colours to educational work have found this desirable.