Nomenclature. 19 



reprinting, I should be very much disposed to adopt his simple 

 plan of accepting the specific name auctorum plurimorum, or 

 that which has been most used by previous writers. It has long 

 been a very sore subject of complaint against English ornitholo- 

 gists, on the part of foreigners amateurs as well as dealers that 

 whereas every bird is generally known all over Europe under one 

 acknowledged name, which is recognised everywhere, the English 

 alone substitute another at will, which completely destroys its 

 recognition. This complaint I have often listened to in France 

 and Germany in former years ; but what will now be said, when 

 so many even of the most familiar birds are re-named ? Having 

 thus relieved my mind by expressing a very decided opinion I 

 hope not too presumptuously I proceed to point out that I have 

 taken some pains to ascertain the meaning of the names given to 

 birds, where not at first sight apparent, not confining my atten- 

 tion to the generic and specific names only, but extending my 

 inquiries to those which are provincial, both in our own and 

 neighbouring foreign countries ; for the name, whether delibe- 

 rately bestowed on a species by the scientific author, or affixed to 

 it locally as a nickname, generally describes some peculiarity, or 

 alludes to some characteristic habit or appearance. 



STRUCTURE. 



I come now to the general structure of birds, upon which a few 

 words should be said ; but I would at the outset premise that I 

 am not going to enter into any learned disquisition on their 

 internal economy, or start any new theory regarding their shape 

 or their functions. I propose merely to give a plain statement of 

 their formation, whereby such persons as are either beginning 

 this delightful study, or are not very proficient in it, may gain 

 some insight into the subject. But before we examine their 

 general structure, let us for one moment consider the position 

 which birds were formed to hold in animated nature, and the 

 element they were fitted to people ; then, when we proceed to 

 consider their formation, we shall notice how admirably it is 

 adapted to that end, how exactly suited to that purpose. We 



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