260 



CORRESPONDENCE. 



faction. The nomenclature you use, in my opinion, is in most cases the best. 

 Sir W. Jardine seems, however, from his review of the Song Birds in the 

 Magazine of Zoology and Botany, to think very differently. Surely the nomen- 

 clature he adopts cannot be considered excellent ! — You must excuse me if I now 

 proceed to offer a few criticisms on your book. I believe, however, that they 

 will meet your approbation : at least I know I shall only be acting as you would 

 wish any friend or correspondent candidly to do. At p. 285 — 6 you have some 

 very pertinent and just observations on the use of " common " as a specific 

 appellation, which you conclude by saying, " common can never be admissible." 

 At p. 364 we have " Common Goldwing." You will perceive at once that you 

 have here laid yourself open to a charge of inconsistency. Would not " Thistle 

 Goldwing" be a much better appellation ? Now it appears to me that vulgaris 

 is equally objectionable as " common " in vernacular nomenclature ; and I am 

 happy to find you have discarded it in many cases. But why have we still 

 Merula vulgaris and Crucirostra vulgaris ? The former cannot be said to be 

 common, and the latter is of very rare occurrence in this neighbourhood. Would 

 not Merula hortensis be preferable to M. vulgaris, for the Garden Ouzel ? 



At p. 184, in the article Coal Tit, lines 1, 7, and 25 from the top, we have 

 Marsh Tit where the Coal Tit is evidently referred to. — I hope your interesting 

 work may soon have to pass through a second edition, and should you think these 

 observations just, you will then be able to made suitable corrections.* 



On the Backwardness op the Spring of 1837. 



We have at length the happiness to experience a little summer weather in 

 this quarter. How late the season has been ! The Swallows did not make their 

 appearance till the second week in April,t and the Swift was not seen until the 

 4th of May. Nature seemed to show her disapprobation of the ancient custom 

 of decking the streets on the 29th of May with branches of Oak ; for she denied 

 foliage to that tree, and naked branches would hardly have suited the cavaliers 

 purpose. For my own part, I think the Dame did quite right (craving your 

 pardon if you are of that class who view Charles as a martyr, and reverence 

 him as such). As a natural consequence of the Oak being so late in foliage, the 

 Melolonthce did not " break the still of eve " with their " booming flight " until at 



* We have elsewhere observed that we should be glad to have a better name than Common 

 Goldwing suggested. Thistle Goldwing appears to us the very thing. Merula hortensis is like- 

 wise good ; but surely Mr. Ryl ands is mistaken in saying that this bird " cannot be said to be 

 common ;" we never visited any part of the country without finding it abundant, though always 

 solitary (hence Merula, from mera, solitary) or in pairs. — We feel much flattered by our corres- 

 pondent's favourable opinion of the British Song Birds, and beg to thank him sincerely for his 

 candid and judicious criticism. — Ed. 



f And they were not common till the first week in May.-— En. 



