On a new genus of Falconidw, 67 



essential, and permanent, or if they exhibit any peculiarity in 

 the mode in which they are combined or interchanged with each 

 other, there seems to be no reason why here, as well as in every 

 other similar instance of distinction in form, the groups, in which 

 such characters predominate, should not be distinguished by a 

 separate name. Natural science has now arrived at such a com- 

 parative state of perfection, and the materials that supply it with 

 subjects for speculation have become so far multiplied, that the 

 naturalist no longer investigates new subjects for the purpose of 

 discovering new species, but with the view of detecting new forms : 

 and to point out these forms by the most distinguishing means in 

 his power, and thus mark the grander modifications by which 

 nature varies her operations, has become one of the higher objects 

 to which he aspires in his philosophick researches. In multiply- 

 ing the names of groups he subjects himself, it is true, to the ob- 

 jections of those who, in opposition to the modern views of the 

 science, contend that the imposition of names is but an imposition 

 of difficulties. But even if we were gratuitously to concede for 

 a moment that a new name creates a new difficulty, that very 

 difficulty itself would bring with it its own justification. It would 

 cause the student to pause in his career : it would force him to 

 dwell more intently upon the important object thus strongly 

 pointed out to him ; it would enchain his attention to one of those 

 more impressive facts that expand the inind as they open to it a 

 view of the sublimer principles which regulate the wonders of the 

 creation. The check which he receives would be a spur to his 

 observation, and impose an additional retainer on his memory. 

 The present however are not the times in which science is to be 

 arrested in its march by objections such as these. New names 

 impose new difficulties ! — The influx of new species is as little to 

 be desired by such objectors as that of new forms or new genera ; 

 for species as well as groups must have their names. If we deny 

 the naturalist the privilege of affixing them in one case, we must 

 debar him from it in the other. If we are to be frightened by 

 names, we must explore the fields of science no further, but tread 

 over in dull repetition our old beaten tracks. And with what a 

 terra incognita would such narrow restrictions obscure our map 



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