XXii 
why should not the same rule prevail tor our Avifauna 
which has been acted upon by the Oxford and Cambridge 
Entomological Society in their ‘‘Accentuated List.” 
There the specific, as well as generic names have 
capital initials; thus Dale’s insect is not Plutella dalella 
but P. Dalella. If rendered in English the incongruity 
would be apparent. It is no great wonder that the origin 
of ‘ Hippolais,’ and ‘Pomarinus’ is lost in obscurity, future 
generations of ordinary readers which know not the 
name of Hume may ponder vainly over humei and humii. 
Which of the Muses is it that presides over derivatives 
and is answerable for the changes in the letters from the 
Greek which we meet with in English-spelt words: and 
who would recognise, at first blush, a Foochow Wood- 
pecker in M. fokiensis ! 
Besides the question as to what Birds should be ad- 
mitted to the British list; upon which, as will be seen, our 
chief authorities are not agreed. 
There is also the question as to the consecutive Ar- 
rangement of Genera, and Species, upon which there is 
almost more disagreement. 
It has been said that the eggs themselves by the 
similarity of their appearance should go some way to- 
wards suggesting the order of the Families. 
Some eggs however seem to be very aberrant ; thus 
the eggs of the ‘Rufous Warbler,’ are very unlike the 
rest of the British Warblers; one from my clutch from 
the south of Spain, comes very near in appearance to the 
egg I have of Richard’s pipit (South Siberia, Severtzow). 
Whilst among the white eggs of the Hirundinide the 
twice spotted eggs of the Swallows cannot be accounted 
for on the theory of the Common Ancestor. 
In size, texture, colour, markings, and general effect 
the eggs of the Pipits He between the eggs of the Wagtails, 
