PREFACE. lx 



this phenomenon, but the material is still rough and undigested, 

 and many of the conclusions published are conjectural. 



4. The formation of local collections by the Museums of 

 the capital towns of each county, which shall serve to illustrate 

 its Avi-fauna, and explain the distribution of every bird within 

 its limits. 



It would thus be possible to obtain an ornithological census 

 of the British Avi-fauna, a work which is much needed in the 

 present day. 



One word with regard to the nomenclature of the present 

 volume. We have employed such names as we believe will 

 ultimately be found to be the correct ones for the species, when 

 an International Congress of Ornithologists determines to settle 

 what shall be the proper scientific designations of European 

 birds. At present there is considerable confusion in the 

 nomenclature of our British species, the names of the " List " 

 published by the British Ornithologists' Union being by no 

 means acceptable to some of us at the present day, and differ- 

 ing in many instances from those employed by American and 

 German Naturalists. Then again, Mr. Seebohm employs the 

 simple method of adopting the name most in vogue since the 

 time of Linnaeus, or, as he calls it, anctorum plurimorum. He 

 is also an advocate of trinomials such as Parus ater britanni- 

 cus for the English Coal-Tit, an arrangement we shall never 

 adopt, as we consider it a clumsy and unnecessary method of 

 nomenclature, and one that in the hands of unscrupulous 

 writers may be employed ad lib. to gain a little temporary 

 notoriety, and end in making the study of birds impossible. 

 Can any science bear the weight of such a system of nomen- 

 clature as would burden it with names like Caryocatactes 

 caryocatactes brachyrhyncha ! ! ? 



Then as regards the changing of specific names of birds. On 

 this subject we hold strong opinions, which we know are not 



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