144 Asterias rubens. 



cases be consistent with truth," nomenclators would be more 

 careful in bestowing names ; and thus the need of change 

 would at once be greatly diminished. 



It should next be agreed, that not only must the name be con- 

 sistent with truth, but that it must not be founded on a generic 

 character : this necessary rule would exclude such names as 

 Loxia curvirostra, Cinclus aquaticus, Nucifraga caryocatactes, 

 ^'quila Chrysaetos, &c. These two rules are, I think, amply 

 sufficient; and, surely, they are simple enough. It is against 

 those who should attempt to alter names which will stand the 

 test of these two rules that merited indignation should be di- 

 rected ; not against those who would make beneficial changes. 

 I will give a few examples of what I mean. The golden 

 eagle was called by Willughly ^'quila aurea ; a name to which 

 no one can reasonably object. But this bird might with 

 equal propriety be called .4'quila fulva: but he who should 

 endeavour to make such a change should be branded as a 

 retarder of science, equally with the non-reformers. In the 

 same way, the black cormorant may with equal propriety be 

 called Cormoranus Carbo, and Cormoranus cristatus; but the 

 former having the claim of priority, no one has a right to 

 change it, there being no objection to the name. But now we 

 will suppose another case : Linnaeus called the pied wagtail 

 Motacilla alba ; Rennie has named it M. lotor ; and another, 

 yet more recently, M. maculosa. I should here decidedly say, 

 that the first, although having the claim of authority and 

 priority, ought to give way to the third ; which, being consist- 

 ent with truth, and not being founded on a generic character, 

 no one has a right to alter-. M. lotor is consistent with truth ; 

 but then it is founded on a generic character; for it is applicable 

 to all the species in the genus wagtail, as now restricted. I 

 may here remark, that the yellow wagtail has been separated 

 from the genus under the name of spring oat ear (Budytes 

 flava Cuv.). So much for specific names. 

 Near Derby. 



(To be continued?) 



Art. V. Illustrations in British Zoology. By George John- 

 ston, M.D., Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edin- 

 burgh. 



-4STE V RIAS RU V BENS. {fig. 20.) 



Synonymes. — Asterias rubens Lin., Syst., 1099; Mull. Zool. Dan. 

 Prod., 234.; Fab. Faun. Groenl., 367. ; Turt. Gmel.,iv. 130.; Lam. Anim. 

 s. Vert., ii. 562.; Turt. Brit. Faun., 139.; Flem. Brit. Anim., 486.— 



