296 CORRESPONDENCE. 



GaUinula chloropus of Willughby : future research must establisli a 

 better. 



The next topic to which Mr. N. Wood calls the attention of 

 your readers is the spelling of the names, and on this point he shews 

 more zeal than knowledge ; and as he does not, as he himself owns, 

 " precisely comprehend" this point, I would refer him to page I 1 8 

 of the last number, where he may gain more precise information on 

 the subject. It seems, however, that it is not merely the orthogra- 

 phy of the birds' names which is offensive to the eye of our critic, 

 but neither does that of the hird^-describers satisfy him. He prefers 

 the appearance of Stephens to Stevens : but this is a matter of 

 choice, for the latter is met with as frequently as the former. Also 

 Bechstein and Bekstein, Temmink and Temminck, Bonaparte and 

 Buonaparte : and we are told that there are thirteen difterent ways 

 of writing Shakspeare's name, most of which were used indifferently 

 by the immortal bard himself. Pity but ]Mr. N. Wood would in- 

 form the world as to the correct way. Our own naturalist, Ray, 

 has, also, much to answer for : till he altered it, his name was writ- 

 ten W^a3^ In my opinion, there is enough to learn in Natural 

 History without amusing one's self with disquisitions on the mode 

 of spelling author's names. 



In vol. iii., p. 34, of The Analyst, I commented on Temminck's 

 having included the Kinglets in the genus Becjin (Treelhig). The 

 author has since, however, published a third volume of his Manuel 

 d'Ornithologie, in which he has adopted three or four new genera, 

 and among them are the genera Kinglet, Wren, and Jay. A third 

 edition of this work would be very valuable. Mr. Blyth has pro- 

 posed to name the Afedula rosea (Longtailed Tit, of old authors) 

 the Rose Muflin — a very expressive name. The Spring Oatear 

 ( Budites vernat W.), is not identical with the Motac'dla jiava of 

 continental authors. The Gray Azle (Cocizus cinerosus, W.), 

 — Cucidus cifierosus, of Temminck — should have come immediately 

 after the Gray Cuckoo in the list at p. 205. For Colmnba palumbus 

 read C. torquata ; the epithet torquata was applied to the Ring 

 Pigeon, by Willughby, and has the advantage of expressiveness as 

 well as priority. The Falco candicans of Gmelin has generic cha- 

 racters distinct from the Falcons : it may be separated under the 

 designation White Jerlin (Cataractes candicans). It is very 

 doubtful whether the Common Pheasant ( Phasianus colchicus ) and 

 the Ring Pheasant, CPh. torquatus) be distinct species. 



It is much to be wished that your correspondent J. ]M (p. 120) 

 would give a scientific description of the bird he mentions. He 



