26 



REMARKS CONDUCIVE TO THE IMPROVEMENT 

 OF ORNITHOLOGICAL NOMENCLATURE. 



In a former paper, (vol. ii., p. 305), I pointed out some very 

 glaring errors in the nomenclature adopted by Selby in his British 

 Ornithology, I shall now do what I conceive will be of still greater 

 utility, and what I have often been asked to do, — give a list of the 

 birds of Britain; each species denoted by its proper generic and spe- 

 cific appellation. But before commencing the list, I shall make a few 

 remarks on the subject, which appear to be peculiarly called for, 

 when there are writers who openly maintain that the names in use, 

 whether right or wrong, ought to be continued, simply because they 

 are in use, — writers, too, who do not simply adopt the vulgar names 

 from mere thoughtlessness, or from thinking the subject beneath 

 their attention, but who, having considered the subject, actually 

 defend what they themselves confess to be erroneous, because it 

 would give too much trouble to learn what is right ! 



I do not here mean to refute any of Mr. Strickland's arguments 

 for his vulgar names; but one assertion I cannot let pass unnoticed, 

 namely, that the newly-introduced English names are certain never 

 to be universally adopted. Let JMr. Strickland turn to the ornitho- 

 logical works of the time of Willoughby or of Edwards, and com- 

 pare the English names therein used with those of Selby or Mudie; 

 or let him compare the French names used by Buffon, with those of 

 Vieillot or Temminck. In Willoughby's work he wiU find Water 

 Hen, Water Ouzel, Solan Goose, Sea Lark, Greenland Dove, Land 

 Hen, and many other equally ridiculous and erroneous names, 

 which, in Selby's work, are designated as follows : Gallinule, Dip- 

 per, Gannet, Plover, Rotch, and Crake, and by these names they 

 are now universally known, except by those, indeed, who " don't 

 know a rose from a cabbage." 



Boswell, in his life of Johnson, speaking of orthography, says, 

 that Johnson very strongly expressed his disapprobation at the prac- 

 tice, which was then creeping in, of omitting the k at the end of 

 such words as public, music, &c. ; and Boswell adds, that he really 

 hopes that so great an authority will have the effect of stop- 



