76 The Marquis of Tweeddale on the 



cineraceus must be superseded^ — a conclusion which has been 

 generally accepted for many years^ but which is now, ex 

 cathedra, upset in this Catalogue without any reason as- 

 signed. 



In the synonyms of the various species catalogued by Mr. 

 Sharpe he omits altogether the wholesome and useful practice 

 adopted by most accurate authors of giving, either with or 

 without brackets^ according to the generic title employed, 

 the name of the original author of the species, before that of 

 the author using the title. The extreme inconvenience of 

 this practice meets the student on every page ; but it is very 

 forcibly illustrated in the synonyms given of this species and 

 of B. leucogenys. In the first case, the title D. leucophceus 

 is attributed to Gray [nee V. being added), which mode of 

 writing implies that the title of leucophceus was bestowed by 

 Gray as well as Vieillot ; all reference to Vieillot^s title, how- 

 ever, being omitted. Under B. leucogenys we find the synonym 

 D. leucophceus, Swinh. [nee V.) , no reference to Vieillot being 

 given; and lower down simply " D. leucophceus, Gray," with- 

 out the intimation that it is not some one else's species. 

 To an author deep in the mysteries, say of the ' Nouveau 

 Dictionnaire,'' this style of noting the titles used by different 

 authors, though troublesome, would not render his search 

 hopeless ; but to a student it would involve that loss of time 

 which it is the very object of a careful writer to save him. 

 There are also many instances of birds which have received 

 fi'om different authors, unknown to one another and at dif- 

 ferent periods, the same specific title, e. g. Hypsipetes phi- 

 lippinensis, described separately by three diff"ereut authors 

 under the title of philippinensis. Again, there are some 

 authors who would object to having some recent titles made 

 to appear as if coined by them. But the main object of 

 the synonymy ought to be to lead the student direct to all 

 that has been written of importance relating to the species ; 

 and the method adopted by Mr. Sharpe does not in many cases 

 fulfil this condition. 



Buchanga insularis. — This, it is to be presumed, is a new 

 title proposed by Mr. Sharpe for some undescribed Ceyloncse 



