in the " Dictionnaire des Sciences Nuturcllesy 1 1 1 



licately formed Trichoglossus, with its filamentous tongue find- 

 ing its support ill the temperate climate of New Holland among, 

 the never-failing blossoms of the Eucalypti. 



The fact is that if we do not characterize these and similarly 

 circumstanced groups, when the opportunities, which the singular 

 advantages of this country afford, occur for this purpose, the task 

 will be undertaken by others. The experience of every day proves 

 that this will be the case. In the last number of this journal I 

 had occasion to refer to some new genera which have been lately 

 characterized on the continent in this very family oi Psiitacidce ; 

 and one in particular, the genus Aratinga of M. Spix, which 

 accorded with my group of Psittacara. I could point out more- 

 over several groups in Natural History, whose separate existence 

 as genera have been merely indicated by some of our naturalists, 

 who refrained from naming them in deference to the oppositioa 

 that was raised against the institution of new genera ; and which 

 groups nevertheless were subsequently named and characterized 

 by the very writers who were the most forward in declaiming 

 against the practice. 



I shall now. Gentlemen, beg leave to draw your attention to the 

 second chief allegation of the writer in the " Dictionnaire^" that 

 the new groups of the Psittacidce have not even the merit of being 

 original. I shall not trifle with your time so far as to dwell upon 

 the decided contradiction between this observation and the pre- 

 ceding animadversions which I have just disposed of. If Dr* 

 Horsfield's and my groups of the Psittacidcc are the same as those 

 of antecedent writers ; and if the latter groups are deserving of 

 the praise of being, as is stated, " well distinguished," surely ours 

 can with little propriety be asserted to be founded on " minute 

 and valueless differences." Nor shall I allow myself for a moment 

 to suppose that the critick means to insinuate by this observation 

 that either Dr. Horsfield or myself would claim any credit 

 (if credit is due upon such poiuts) by appropriating to our- 

 selves the fruit of the labours of others. Were such an allegation 

 to be preferred, I have only to refer back to the pages of this 

 journal, where some of the groups of the PsittacidcB have been 

 characterized ; and where it may he seen how far I have been 



