424? liennies Montagues Ornithological Dictiona)^. 



contain on the subject of his enquiry, but both clearly suppose the researcher 

 to know either its English or systematic name. Under these circumstances, 

 the technical descriptions of the species seem almost superfluous. But they 

 serve two purposes : one, that of assuring the student of the accuracy or 

 inaccuracy of the bird's name ; the other, that of retrogressively (if we may 

 so express ourselves) familiarising him with systematic technicalities, should 

 he have not previously been acquainted with them. 



The Ornithological Dictionary is a copious accumulation of synonymes, 

 of definitions, of delightfully interesting narratives of the habits and man- 

 ners of our feathered natives, and of reasonings and speculations on the 

 ends and offices of their structure, habits, and instincts : all these, of 

 course, being derived from successive writers and observers of repute in 

 British ornithology, from the earliest records to the hour of printing the 

 book ; on perusing which, it is, however, clear that Mr. Rennie is in him- 

 self a host. " With all its imperfections on its head," the Ornithological 

 Dictionary is perfectly indispensable to everj student of British birds. 

 Not wishing, however, to assume the critic in the case, we leave the work 

 to its merits, and present our readers with a few improvements in nomen- 

 clature which Mr. Rennie has devised : — 



" Recently," he observes, " it has been the chief business of those who 

 call themselves naturalists to alter and invent names, sometimes with, but 

 often with no advantage. Having small inclination to employ myself in 

 such task-work, I have made extremely few alterations in this respect ; and 

 I have only changed five names which served to propagate error or ab- 

 surdity : such as Anorthura for Troglodytes ; i^ringilla *S'piza for F. coe'lebs j 

 i^fotacilla lotor for M. alba ; Corvus pra^datdrius for C. frugllegus ; and 

 Nyctichelidon for Caprimulgus. To say that these erroneous names are 

 only distinctive appellations, implying no more error than the surname of 

 White to a negro, or of King to a scavenger, is at once to confess the im- 

 perfection of what is called scientific nomenclature." 



In the body of the book, Mr. Rennie gives his reasons for these changes 

 in detail, which we here present : — ■ 



Wren (Anorthura communis Rennie ^ Troglodytes europae'us Cuviery, 

 The meaning of the name is not explained ; but it is probably from anorthoo, 

 to erect, and oura, a tail : expressive of the perpendicular carriage of the 

 tail, for which this bird is remarkable. " I have thought it expedient to 

 substitute a new name for this genus, instead of the received one (Troglo- 

 dytes), which is taken from a false notion that the wrens live in caverns, as 

 the ancient people named Troglodytae are recorded to have done." 



Chaffinch (jPringilla ^Spiza Rennie, F. coe'lebs LinncEus). As the Lin- 

 nean name of" Bachelor " (coelebs) appears to me very inappropriate, when 

 applied to a bird so remarkable for the neatness of its nest and for domes- 

 tic attachment, I have restored the name of (Spiza, given it by Aristotle 

 in his Hist. Anim., viii. p. ]." 



Pied Wagtail (ilfotacilla lotor Rennie, M. alba Linncsus). " It being 

 manifestly absurd to name this the white wagtail, as Linnaeus does, I have 

 changed the specific name to lotor, in accordance with an expressive pro- 

 vincial name " [viz. Dish-washer, or Washerwoman]. 



Rook (Corvus praedatorius Rennie, C. frugilegus Linn.). The reason of 

 this change is not palpably given ; but as the bird preys more on insects 

 than on corn and fruits, the old epithet " frugilegus " is scarcely requisitely 

 expressive. 



The Nightjar, Fern Owl, or Goatsucker, &c. (Nyctichelidon [nyx, 

 night, and c/ze/zWon, a swallow] europae'us Rennie, Caprimulgus europae'usof 

 others). " The name of goatsucker, which it has received in all languages, 

 [and which is] most absurdly continued by systematic naturalists in the 

 term Caprimulgus, shows the opinion entertained of it by the vulgar. It 

 IS, however, as impossible for the nightjar to suck the teats of cattle 

 (though most birds are fond of milk) as it is for cats to suck the breath 



