CHAPTER OF CRITICISM. 259 



possibly he may complain of our having pointed out the ignorance of the public 

 as regards matters of this nature, and, by thus "letting the Cat out of the 

 bag," of having defeated the result which his epistle might otherwise have had, 

 of improving the illustrations. But we beg to observe that in this, as in every 

 other matter, we desire alone to sift and obtain, if possible, the truth — before 

 which all other considerations ought to shrink into insignificance. — En.] 



The Vernacular Names of Totanus ochropus and T. glottis. 

 To the Editor of Ike Naturalist. 



My dear Sir, — There appears to be some confusion in the vernacular names 

 of Totanus ochropus and T. glottis, as given in The Naturalist. At p. 73, Vol. 

 II., Mr. Morris denominates the former " Greenshank" and the latter species 

 " Green Sandpiper." Mr. Dale (II., 179) has, on the contrary, T. ochropus 

 " Green Sandpiper." The vernacular name given to T. glottis in my " Catalogue" 

 (II., 354) is " Greenshank," which you have again applied to T. ochropus. I 

 should like this confusion avoided. The authority of naturalists favours the 

 nomenclature adopted by Mr. Dale and myself. Montagu, Bewick, Selby, 

 Jenyns, &c, unite in denominating T. glottis the Greenshank, and T. ochropus 

 the Green Sandpiper. As the plumage of the former is not green, it has no right 

 .to that appellation ; but, its feet being of that colour, it may appropriately be 

 termed the Greenshank. And yet some would claim this name for T. ochropus, 

 because of the derivation of its specific appellation, from w%foj (yellowish-green) 

 and wovs (foot). This difficulty may be removed by considering ochropus as de- 

 rived from t»xeo* and u\ (aspect). This will give us T. ochropus, Green Sandpiper, 

 and T. glottis, Greenshank Sandpiper, which is in my opinion the correct nomen- 

 clature. Perhaps the above may be considered " much ado about nothing," but I 

 doubt not, Mr. Editor, your love for precise nomenclature will lead you to think 

 otherwise. Believe me, 



Very faithfully yours, 



Peter Rylands. 



Bewsey House, March 2, 1838. 



[Our correspondent will find, on reference, that Selby names both T. ochropus 

 and T. glottis " Greenshank," and certainly the appellation would in some mea- 

 sure suit both. But we believe the plan proposed above to be the best. — Ed.] 



