claim of preference in civil
appointments, the names of such eligibles shall be certified before the
names of other eligibles higher in grade. The Commission shall make
regulations that will secure to each of such preference-claiming
eligibles, in the order of his grade among other preference claimants,
an opportunity to have his claim of preference considered and determined
by the appointing officer.

(_c_) Each name on a register of eligibles may be certified only
three times: _Provided_, That when a name has been three times
certified, if there are not three names on the register of higher grade,
it may, upon the written request of a nominating officer to whom it has
not been certified, be included in any certification made to said
officer.

2. Of the three names certified the nominating officer must select one;
and if at the time of making this selection there are more vacancies
than one, he may select more than one name. Each person thus designated
for appointment shall be notified, and upon reporting in person to the
proper officer shall be appointed for a probational period of six
months, at the end of which period, if his conduct and capacity be
satisfactory to the nominating officer, he shall receive absolute
appointment; but if his conduct and capacity be not satisfactory to said
officer, he shall be notified that he will not receive absolute
appointment, and this notification shall discharge him from the service.

3. Every nominating officer in the classified customs service shall
require the officer under whom a probationer may be serving to carefully
observe and report in writing the services rendered by and the character
and qualifications of such probationer. These reports shall be preserved
on file, and the Commission may prescribe the form and manner in which
they shall be made.

4. All other vacancies, unless among the places excepted from
examination, shall be filled by transfer or promotion.

CUSTOMS RULE V.

1. Until promotion regulations have been applied to a classified customs
district, the following promotions may be made therein at any time after
absolute appointment:

(_a_) A clerk, upon any test of fitness determined upon by the
nominating officer, to any vacant place in the class next above the one
in which he may be serving.

(_b_) A day inspector, upon any test of fitness determined upon by
the nomina