THE IBIS 65 



vary so in their accounts of the same things that one 

 knows not which to believe ; or that they both agree so 

 exactly that it must be the result of a previous determina- 

 tion to do so, and hence their testimony is valueless. The 

 remarks on the Harlequin Duck are full of misprints, 

 and that the author's notions of geography are exceed- 

 ingly singular, when he speaks of " Europe with the 

 exception of Iceland and Western Asia." That Mr. 

 Hewitson's contribution has spoiled a good supplement 

 to his work. That the Editorial articles are merely a 

 display of knowledge, and that the review of Bree's 

 book is ill-natured in the extreme, or that it does not 

 detect half the faults in that very inaccurate publication. 

 That the subject of British Ornithology is entirely passed 

 over by the Ibis, or that British Ornithology should be 

 left entirely to other magazines. That the scientific 

 principles enunciated are merely the old ones always 

 known, or they have a most startling and unpleasant 

 novelty ; or that there are no scientific principles at all. 

 That there is a horrible taint of heresy about the whole 

 matter, or that the writers are far too orthodox for 

 zoologists in these days. 



Here is a string of objections, any one of which may 

 be harped upon, or all at once according to the fancy of 

 the player ; for a reviewer may be allowed to bring contra- 

 dictory charges, as in certain actions contradictory pleas 

 are used, first " not guilty " and then " justification." * 



A question which greatly exercised the minds of the 

 founders of the Ibis was that of a suitable motto for the 

 Journal. Sclater sought eagerly for one in the classics, 

 but not finding one that was appropriate he composed a 

 line : 



Ibimus incolumes tutique sub " ibide " sacra. 



Newton writes : " I have suggested to him as being 

 better : 



' I semel in terras, ibis sub nomine et Ibis 

 Sed quacunque ibis, floreat " Ibis " ibi.' " 



* Letter to A. C. Smith, July 18, 1859. 



