CHAPTER OF CRITICISM. 31 



be good enough to inform me from what uncivilized quarter of this'terraqueous 

 globe so opprobrious a name as " Ossifrage," for the White-tailed Erne or Sea 

 Eagle (Flalicetus albicilla), could have originated ? I certainly never wrote any- 

 such name, although it appears in my paper. 



I hope what I have said will be satisfactory to Mr. Morris, as I can assure 

 him that I meant nothing personal by saying that the practice of giving generic 

 names of Greek and specific of Latin origin, did not originate with Mr. Anyone, 

 as I believe others as well as himself have laid claim to the same thing ;^at all 

 events I shall not enter into any further controversy on the subject, as it cannot 

 advance the cause of science, which ought to be the grand object of a scientific 

 journal ; but I am in hopes of having the pleasure of a personal conference on 

 these interesting matters with him before Christmas. Sincerely wishing him as 

 the Proprietor, and yourself as the Editor, of this Journal, every success, 



I remain, Sir, 



Your most obedient and very humble Servant, 

 R. H. Sweeting. 

 Ckarmouth, Dorsetshire, 

 Nov. 13, 1837. 

 [[Assuming that the colossi of science must, in our estimation, be right, is 

 ** De goi n g tne question." In the instances alluded to by Mr. Sweeting we should 

 unhesitatingly declare them to be wrong. But be this as it may, we see no just 

 cause for adopting anything merely because it is the emanation of a great mind, 

 and without employing our own intellect in the matter. — " Ossifrage " is no 

 word of our coinage — it is nothing more than Ossifraga anglicised. — Touching 

 the proprietorship of The Naturalist our correspondent may possibly be mis- 

 taken. 



The publication of some parts of Mr. Morris's criticism of Mr. Sweeting's 

 letter was an infringement of our usual rules ; but we are sure our readers will 

 bear us out in the assertion that The Naturalist is, in general, by no means 

 inclined to be combative or personal. We are bound, in justice to Mr. Sweet- 

 ing, to insert the preceding epistle, but can admit no further recrimination that 

 could in any way wound the feelings of the individual against whom it is di- 

 rected. — Ed.] 



Mr. MacGillivray's Articles on Anatomy. 



To the Editor of the Naturalist. 



Sir, — In the second volume of The Naturalist, p. 13, there is an admirable 

 article on the wings of birds, by Mr. MacGillivray, at the end of which 

 the author promises to continue his papers on the same subject (that of Ana- 



