138 On the Propriety of altering 



these tests can be natural." This supposition, although drawn 

 from these, the author's own words, and from his opinion ex- 

 pressed at other times, is denied by his practice, and, indeed, 

 by the sentiments which, however inconsistent and conflicting, 

 he has expressed in other parts of his volume, when applying 

 his theory. If a group of animals does not, nor cannot be 

 made to, consist of five other divisions, forming a circle, Mr. 

 Swainson expresses his opinion, that either some animals be- 

 longing to the group have yet to be discovered, or, having 

 existed, are at present extinct : and, because he fancies that 

 the group evinces a disposition to form a complete circle, he 

 presumes it to be " natural " ! ! 



In the volume on the classification of quadrupeds, there 

 are a few diagrams given of circular groups, the majority of 

 which are imperfect, but, for the reasons adduced above, are 

 presumed to be "natural." 



In this manner proceeds our quinary author, and in this 

 manner does he destroy both the validity of his first principles, 

 and the uniformity of his plan ; thus, being so accustomed to> 

 break the laws of nature, he has no uncomfortable feeling,, 

 when, not exactly breaking (that would be too openly incon- 

 sistent), but, what is almost as bad, evading, his own ! 



He would not do this, if it were possible for him to do> 

 otherwise ; he would not, in their application, evade his own 

 laws, if that application was not an " utter impossibility" 

 What were Mr. Swainson's reasons for choosing five to be 

 his all-predominant and universal number, we cannot con- 

 ceive. His opinion could not well be drawn from the results 

 of his investigation and labours ^ for, on examining his work 

 on quadrupeds, we find that but one tenth of the groups which 

 ought to consist, according to his theory, of R\e other circular 

 divisions, exhibit this peculiarity ; and of this one tenth one 

 half are compelled to be such, and are, therefore, artificial, in 

 the true sense of the word : it is very obvious, that the re- 

 mainder may consist of five sub-groups, merely by chance, 

 affording no proof whatever of that number being universal. 



Bewsey House, near Warrington, Jan. 1836. 



{To be continued.') 



Art. IV. Remarks on the Question of the Propriety of altering 

 established Scientific Names in Natural History, should they be 

 erroneous. By C. T. Wood, Esq. 



Notwithstanding the advanced state of ornithology, 

 there is yet considerable diversity of opinion^ even among 



