212 BRITISH BIRDS. 
67 to 6:0 inch. In Asia Minor intermediate forms, however, occur, 
varying in length of wing from 6°15 to 5°85 inch. Some ornithologists 
consider the Eastern form a distinct species, which they recognize under 
the name of Turdus hodgsoni; but as intermediate forms occur, it can only 
rank as a subspecies or local race. 
American ornithologists would undoubtedly call this bird 7. viscivorus, 
var. hodgsoni. There can be no doubt that this form of nomenclature, 
though somewhat complicated, has the great advantage of showing at a 
glance the affinities of the bird. It is impossible for our nomenclature to 
denote the degree of relationship which exists between species. To 
attempt to express this would be to return to the old mode of designating 
a species by a sentence. Were these local varieties rare, ornithologists 
would not have much difficulty in remembering which names only repre- 
sented subspecific forms ; but modern researches have shown us many 
local varieties, and there can be little doubt that many more remain 
to be discovered. If we still retain the binomial system of nomenclature 
for all these local races, our catalogues of birds will be doubled if not 
trebled in length, and will become exceedingly misleading. I see no other 
alternative to avoid this except to join our American ornithologists in 
reviving the system of nomenclature originally proposed by Linnzus and 
already adopted by botanists. 
