Retrospective Criticism. 553 



several years, explored the forests of South America, published 

 four volumes, which have gone through three editions, on 

 their natural history, described the habits and manners of the 

 birds, gives us their Indian and their scientific names (although 

 he affects, like Mr. Waterton, to despise system), and is, in 

 short, the very first authority on these matters. Yet this 

 is the author whose name even, setting aside his works, Mr. 

 Waterton tells us, is " totally unknown" to him ! I am, Sir, 

 yours, &c. — V.G.Audubon. 121. Great Portland Street, 

 Sept. 19. 1833. 



[Mr. Curtis in Reply to Mr. Babington' s Defence of Mr. Ste- 

 phens.'] — Sir, Mr. Babington having challenged me [in p. 437, 

 438.] to point out any part of Mr. Stephens's Nomenclature 

 which is column after column like my Guide, I feel called upon 

 to trouble you with a word or two on the subject. I will thank 

 Mr. Babington to turn to Mr. Stephens's old Nomenclature, 

 page 31., where, in the centre column, he will find " Ichneumon 

 Auct. (105)," then to my Guide, column 76., and to Mr. Ste- 

 phens's new Nomenclature, column 131. and the five following, 

 and then compare the three, and I think neither Mr. Babing- 

 ton nor any impartial man will shut his eyes to the truth. 

 But, Sir, this is not my ground of complaint; it is Mr. Ste- 

 phens's copying the " plan and style " of my work so com- 

 pletely, that no one could, without considerable attention, 

 ascertain that his new Nomenclature was not a reprint of my 

 Guide: I therefore maintain that he has been cutting the 

 grass under my feet. When I began the Guide, an idea 

 struck me of having the columns printed alternately on oppo- 

 site pages, which would render every copy equally useful for 

 forming labels, and at the same time leave spaces for additions 

 and memorandums; on this plan no'^mrk was ever before 

 printed, and it gave my Guide, prima faciei, an appearance 

 that distinguished it from all other catalogues ; the genera 

 also were printed in capitals, and numbered, as well as the 

 species : in all these respects our works widely differed in the 

 first instance ; but not so now. Some idea of the plans of the 

 several works may be formed from the following statement : — 



Mr. Stephens's old Nomenclature. — Size VImo. Columns 

 three in each page. Genera in small type. Genera and species 

 without numbers. 



Mr. Curtis's Guide. — Size 8vo. Columns txw in each page. 

 Genera in capitals. Genera and species numbered. 



Mr. Stephens's new Nomenclature. — Size 8vo. Columns 

 two in each page. Genera in capitals. Genera and species 

 numbered. 



A portion of this may be further illustrated by following 



