CHAPTER OF CRITICISM. 20 



birds." It necessarily is very similar to my former paper, but takes a wider 

 view of the subject. If you would like to insert it, I may perhaps forward it 

 for that purpose. It is applied more particularly to Swainson's views and 

 statements. 



I am, respectfully, thy friend, 



Thomas Alus. 

 York, Uth Mo. 4, 1837. 



£We think we may safely state that we shall at all times be most happy to 

 insert any communications from the pen of Mr. Allis ; and we will gladly re- 

 ceive his proposed paper, having never yet met with anything approaching a 

 philosophical refutation of the Quinary system. — Ed.] 



CHAPTER OF CRITICISM. 



On Ornithological Nomenclature. 



To the Editor of The Naturalist. 



Sir, — I cannot help thinking that my friend Mr. Morris has been unneces- 

 sarily severe in his animadversions on me and on my paper, which you did me 

 the honour of inserting in your September number (Vol. II., p. 302). I must 

 acknowledge that I was rather surprised at the nature and manner of his observ- 

 ations ; in short, good Mr. Editor, obstupui, steteruntque comse^ et voxfaucibus 

 hcBsit. His wit is so brilliant, and the edge of his satire so keen, that I was 

 quite dazzled by the bright coruscations of the one, and I fear that it will be 

 useless for me to attempt to ward off the fell swoops of the other. I hope you 

 will in fairness allow me to say a few words in reply, not in a spirit of revenge 

 and retaliation, but with the utmost good nature and good feeling towards him. 

 I begin by replying to his question — " whether I have ever read or seen Cuvier's 

 Regne Animal" that I am as little likely to quote works which I have never 

 seen, as himself, or any other of your correspondents. He thinks it may be as 

 well in some cases to mention the sources from which information has been 

 derived. I will do so. I have never set myself up as an oracle in any depart- 

 ment of Natural History, but I truly feel myself to be, what I stated in my 

 paper, viz., " a very humble student of the delightful Book of Nature," and am 

 always thankful for any information which I may obtain, even from the hum- 

 blest source, and it gives me pleasure to be enabled to communicate any to 

 others. What little knowledge of Ornithology I actually possess, I have obtained 

 by a diligent perusal of the Regne Animal of Cuvier (an excellent English 



