492 Retrospective Criticism. 



regret to all the readers of this Magazine, the two engaged 

 in the controversy alone excepted, that so considerable a 

 share of each number should, for some time past [except 

 Nos. 57, 58. 60. 63.] have been occupied with the various 

 controversies between that highly-talented naturalist Mr. 

 Waterton, and the Rev. F. O. Morris of Doncaster. These 

 disputes might be unobjectionable if carried on in the 

 true spirit of science, and wholly devoid of acrimony and 

 personal abuse; but, as the latter appear to me to predominate 

 in the papers alluded to, and as the parties seem more desirous 

 of outdoing each other in their sarcastic retorts, than of 

 discovering the true state of the point in dispute, the contro- 

 versy is evidently but little suited to the pages of a scientific 

 periodical. — Neville Wood. Campsall Hall, near Doncaster, 

 Yorkshire, Aug. 4. 1836. 



The Controversy current between Mr. Waterton and Mr. 

 Morris. — I am sorry to perceive in the last numbers of the 

 Magazine, that the contention between Mr. Waterton and 

 Mr. Morris, upon hitherto an interesting subject has, un- 

 fortunately for the credit of the Magazine, descended into 

 mere personalities, the insertion of which must be anything 

 but gratifying to the subscribers, who, I feel assured, would 

 greatly prefer to see these talented opponents engaged in such 

 communications as Arts. 2. [by Mr. Waterton] and 3. [by 

 Mr. Morris] in the last number, the perusal of which has 

 afforded me much pleasure. — J. D. Salmon. Thetford, Nor- 

 folk : extracted from a letter dated Aug. 10. 1836. 



[It may be that it is not the Ibis (Vbisfalcinellus Temminck) 

 that is the Type of the Figure of a Bird in the Coat of Arms of 

 the Town of Liverpool. ~\ — Professor Rennie, in his edition of 

 Montagits Ornithological Dictionary, p. 267., has given the 

 following statement : — " The ibis is adopted as a part of the 

 arms of Liverpool, and, formerly, if not at present, stood con- 

 spicuous on the top of the Guildhall, in truly golden array. 

 This is termed a liver, from which that flourishing town de- 

 rived its name, and is now standing on the spot where the 

 pool was, on the verge of which the liver was killed." I was 

 greatly surprised on reading this statement ; as not any writer 

 who has attempted the history of the town has alluded to any 

 kind of bird frequenting the Old Pool, except the imaginary 

 liver or the cormorant ; and on what ground, then, is the 

 ibis placed in the same historical connexion? — A. C. Liver- 

 pool, April 4. 1836. 



The glaucous Boatfy {Notonecta glauca) : its imputed infict- 

 ing a Woimd from which Pain ensues (VII. 259.) disputed. — 

 1 have often very freely handled this species, but never suf- 



