(HKNALOPEX. 



According to GeofFroy-Saint-Hilaire, the Spur- 

 wing is the Chcnalopex, or Vulpanser of the ancients, 

 which was revered by the Egyptians from the great 

 attachment it has for its young ; I have therefore 

 applied that name to the genus ; the propriety of 

 separating which from the rest of the Geese will pro- 

 bably be called in question by the generality of orni- 

 thologists, especially those of theLinnean school, who 

 will be apt to exclaim with Temminck, in his remarks 

 on the Uria alle * (Man. d'Orn. 2 Edit. v. ii. p. 929), 

 " II est vrai que si on veut avoir e'gard a toutes les 

 l^geres nuances dans les formes du bee, cet oiseau 

 pourrait alors etre consider^ comme formant un genre 

 distinct j mais il faudrait aussi en faire un pour le 

 Guillemot de Brunnich, et dans le cas il ne serait 

 pas difficile de prouver que dans le plus grand nombre 

 des genres adoptes de nos jours, en pourrait trans- 

 former presque toutes les especes en genres, et en- 

 combrer le systeme de quelques centaines de noms dc 

 plus." But being an advocate for generic distinc- 

 tions founded upon every gradation of character, I 

 have not only adopted this, but have detached several 

 others from the genus Anas of Linne", &c., with 

 respect to the merits of which future observations 

 must decide ; my object being to show those appa- 

 rently detached groups whose manners and habits 

 are, as far as known, widely different, without re- 

 garding the modern prejudice against the use of the 

 term genus : the objections to which are generally 

 more nominal than real. For some excellent remarks 



* Mergulus melanoleucos. 



