92 Mr. Vigors's Replay to some Observations 



consider the attack which it is my intention to notice, as rather 

 national than personal. We can not have failed to observe, and 

 to observe with no common regret, that a disposition to depreciate 

 the Zoological labours of this country prevails to a great extent 

 among the Continental writers. And at a period when a new 

 impulse has been given to our science in this country, and a new 

 school of Zoology, if I may so express myself, is forming itself 

 among us, it becomes us to be doubly guarded as to its interests, 

 and not to suffer its rising reputation to be at once overborne by 

 the mandates of assumed authority. It is the wish of vindicating 

 our views against the arbitrary influence which seems exerted to 

 check them in their infancy, and not any personal feelings, that 

 urges me to the present task. The objects aimed at, and the modes 

 of investigation pursued in Natural History, are of such a descrip- 

 tion as to call for the exertions of every man, and the co-operation 

 of every country; but these exertions and this co-operation must 

 be allowed their free course, without limits or restrictions. The 

 republick of science will admit of no dictator. 



The animadversions io which I would draw your attention are 

 contained in the 39th Volume of the '^ Dictionnaire cies Sciences 

 Naturellesj''^ under the article " Perroquet." They form part of 

 the 20th and 21st pages of that volume, and purport to be a general 

 review of Dr. Horsfield's and my subdivision of the PsittacidcB, 

 The Article is subscribed by the highly respectable name of M. 

 Desmarest. 



The chief points contained in this critique may be stated as 

 follows. — A general condemnation is inferred of any subdivision 

 in so natural a group, [le genre si naturelj as that which forms 

 the Linnean genus Psittacus. The subdivisions which have been 

 pointed out by Dr. Horsfield and myself are affirmed to be 

 founded on minute differences, without any value, or any apparent 

 regard to the mode of life of the animals that compose them ; — 

 fsur des differences minutieuses, sans aucune valeur, et sans aucun 

 rapport evident avec le genre de vie des animaux dont on les 

 compose]. Most of our groups, it is asserted, have not even the 

 merit of being original. They have nothing new but their names ; 

 " being the same," it is averred, ^' as tliose secondary groups which 



