APPENDIX. 



Controversy bettveen N. A. Vigors, Esq. A M. F.R.S. Sfc, and 

 W, Sxvainson, Esq. F.R.S. L.S. S^c, 



(Beceived on Tuesday, Oct. 18., at 4 o'clock p.m., and printed at the 

 expense of the writer.) 

 My dear Sir, 



I CORDIALLY agree in opinion with two of your correspond- 

 ents [Magazine of Natural History, p. 455.), that the late 

 controversy in your journal, in which I was reluctantly forced 

 to bear a part, was altogether unworthy of a place in your 

 columns. The introduction of personal attacks and defences 

 into a scientific work is decidedly to be condemned, more 

 especially when it tends to the exclusion of more relevant 

 and valuable matter. Conscious of this truth, I could not 

 avoid apologising to yourself and your readers, in the letter 

 which I sent to your July Number, for introducing my pri- 

 vate feelings into your pages, even though I was the aggrieved 

 party, and was forced into the contest. 



The only reparation I can make for the share I have had 

 in occupying so much of your valuable space, and thus with- 

 holding from your readers more eligible matter, is to request 

 of you to publish, in your next Number, such a surplus 

 portion of the really important materials which I know you 

 have always in hand, as will equal the space taken up by my 

 communications ; for the expenses of which surplus matter 

 I shall feel great satisfaction in being responsible. 



I have also to suggest, for the future satisfaction of your 

 scientific subscribers, that all matters of controversy should 

 be printed separately at the end of your Number, and at the 

 expense of the combatants. In this case your subscribers 

 may throw into the fire all the extraneous and offending 

 matter, if they deem it unworthy (which, I suspect, will 

 generally be the case) of being bound up with the more 

 interesting subjects. The tax, also, will fall where it ought. 

 When a naturalist volunteers to attack his fellow-labourers 

 in science, it is generally for the purpose of attracting notice 

 to himself and his scientific merchandise ; and he is bound in 

 justice to pay for the advertisement. 



I have to request of you to publish the following letter, 

 which I have just received from Mr. MacLeay. Although 

 I do not think it possible that a second person exists who 

 would persist in charging me, or indeed any person who is 

 not altogether excluded from civilised society, with publishing 

 in an unauthorised manner, private and confidential commu- 

 nications, not intended for the public eye, I feel a satisfaction 



