94 A RETROSPECT OF THE LITERATURE 



this fact we were not aware, when writing the cursory notice of the 

 first edition. The two volumes, now lying before us, we opened 

 with 'avidity : and the expectations, awakened in us by the previous 

 labours, the great reputation, enlarged experience, and well-known 

 attainments, of the Northumberland Ornithologist, have not been 

 disappointed. 



In these volumes, IVIr. Selby has thought proper to abandon the 

 classification of the wary and tardigrade Dutchman, Temminck, and 

 substitute for it, the more shewy, scientific, and yet defective ar- 

 rangement of Mr. '^''igors. Hence, the solitary Falco genus, in the 

 former edition, composed according to Temminck's views, of six 

 Sections or Sub-genera, — the Ragles, Kites, Buzzards, Harriers, 

 Hawks, and Falcons, — is now distributed into eleven distinct ge- 

 nera, under the head of the Natural Family of Falconidce. Even 

 the three British Eagles, themselves, are referred to three different 

 genera, Aqidla, Haliceeios, and Pandion. And the poor Owls, for- 

 merly distributed into two Sections, according as they exhibit, or 

 are deficient in, certain auricular appendages, vulgarly yclept horns 

 or ears, now figure in seven genera, arranged, with the Great 

 Horned Owl. — Bubo maximus, — at their head, under the imposing 

 family-title of the Strigidce. 



Amidst all his reforms of the nomenclature of Ornithology, we 

 observe, with wonderment and surprize, that IMr. Selby retains the 

 absurd, fantastical, and libellous designation of Caprimulgus, or 

 Goat-sucker, for the European Night-jar, — Vociferator meloloniha, 

 of uur anonymous correspondent.* He, also, with the addition of 

 several recently-discovered birds to the ** British Fauna," neglects 

 the new species lately introduced by Mr. Gould ; and, while ad- 

 mitting the Egyptian Neophron, on the ground of a solitary cap- 

 ture, the Austrian Pratincole, and the Cream-coloured Swift-foot, 

 as British, still obstinately rejects that prince of British game-birds, 

 the Tetrao urogallus, certainly not yet quite extinct in these islands. 

 Of what crime, too, have the Guernsey Partridge, Perdix rufa, and 



• See the very able and interesting contribution, by S. D. W., on Omi- 

 tholoffical Nomenclature, in our present number. Professor Rennie's newly- 

 coined scientific term tor the Night-jar, — Nyctichelidon or Night-Swalloiv^ — is 

 altogether objectionable : for we can discern no striking mark of affinity of that 

 bird with the Swallow-gerwx^y save the enormous width of its gape. 



