196 OBSERVATIONS ON THE NOMENCLATURE, &C. 



generic name, as applied to the British species, is remarkably obvi- 

 ous ; but as there are species of Pyrrhula without black heads, it is 

 probable that the name will not stand. Our native Coalhood is 

 chiefly seen about hedges at that season of the year when it is most 

 open to popular observation. 



Spotted and varius are infinitely superior distinctive designations 

 to Common and vulgaris for the Starling ; and, so far as we are at 

 present aware, they are sufficiently exclusive. 



On perusing a critique on Hewitson's British Oology, by Mr. 

 Blyth, we perceive the name Willet is proposed for the genus Bu- 

 dytes. This surpasses our own Oatear, as having no derivative 

 meaning, and being sufficiently euphonious. The species will then 

 stand thus : — Spring Willet, Budytes verna, and Blue-headed Wil- 

 let, B. cyanocephala. 



Here our task closes ; and we flatter ourselves that we have ad- 

 duced sufficiently cogent reasons for the alterations which it has 

 been deemed fit to introduce into the British Song Birds. English 

 nomenclature is, however, still in a very unsettled state ; and much 

 remains to be done before we can arrive at anything like perfection. 

 We are fully aware that our labours in this department will be little 

 appreciated by many anti-reforming Naturalists, although we have 

 no doubt but the change will take place some time, even though it be 

 by slow degrees. What improvement is there that has not met 

 with violent opposition on its first appearance before the public ? it 

 is notorious that all the grandest inventions of the human mind 

 have been looked upon, by the leading men of the time at which 

 they were proposed, as the impositions of quacks, or the delusions of 

 fanatics. If such be the reception of the theory of the circulation of the 

 blood, of vaccination, of phrenology, &c, what can we expect for our 

 proposals for a reformed Nomenclature in Natural Science ? Why, 

 that they will undergo the usual routine of being ridiculed, scoffed at, 

 and abused by all parties, and then by slow degrees begin to be ap- 

 proved, and at length adopted. Thus much for the nomenclature 

 of British Song birds, which, though defective, as we have seen, 

 in many points, is manifestly a great improvement in this particular 

 on any work hitherto published in the English language. It only 

 remains for us to observe that the author of the book in question is 

 far from addicted to coining new names, those he has adopted hav- 

 ing been, for the most part, published elsewhere. 



