118 Mr. Vigors's Repli/ to some Observations 



any just grounds pervades the whole of this criticism in the " Die- 

 tionnaire." The term Palceornis^ for instance, is asserted to be 

 inapplicable to all the species comprised in the group for which 

 it stands, — " there being," as the critick declares, " but one 

 species of Psittacus known to the ancients, — namely the Psitt, 

 Alexandria 



I would here ask this writer whether he imagines that every 

 species in a group partakes equally of the characters of the type, 

 or is pointed out with equal significance by the name assigned 

 the type, when that name happens to be expressive of some 

 attribute or quality ? If such is his opinion, he will find few 

 natural groups in modern arrangements that will exactly square 

 ■witli his views. If he goes back to the days of Linnaeus, he may 

 notice that truly accurate observer referring to the '' notce aber- 

 rantes" which distinguish some species of a group from those 

 which are typical in it, and which nevertheless do not virtually 

 detach these species from it. A significant name stands on the 

 same ground as a character ; and does not lose its general appli- 

 cability to the group on account of the deviation of some species 

 from the type, or " ob speciei notam aberrantem,^^ But even 

 were this not the fact, the writer's observations are totally in- 

 applicable to the case now before us. Palceortiis is the name of 

 a genus, not of a species or individual. And the critick must 

 prove his censure to be correct, by shewing that this genus or 

 group was not known to the ancients, — an assertion even by his 

 own admission contrary to the fact, — and not by objecting that 

 any of the species were unknown to them. In naming a Parrot^ 

 we will say for example, Palceornis ert/throcephalusy we do not 

 advance the proposition that the bird so named is a red-headed 

 bird known to the ancients^ but that it is the red-headed species 

 of a group which was known to them. Even a New Holland 

 species may be, and indeed has been, found, which as a species 

 must be decidedly considered as unknown to classical times, but 

 which, by possessing the same character as this ancient group, 

 must be included in it. And this being the case the name of 

 Palceornis, as generick, is strictly applicable to it. 



But where has this writer discovered that one species only of 



