4638 THE ZooLocist—OcTOBER, 1875. 
this country at least, has had to make such an extensive research 
into ornithological literature, and to weigh so carefully the doings 
of his brother ornithologists, as my engagements have lately im- 
posed upon me; and therefore what I have to say on the subject 
may not be without novelty, just as the ransacking of old chronicles 
sometimes has a novel issue. But—and this is more to the purpose 
—some of the matters [ am about to urge on your especial con- 
sideration seem to me just such as may be very fittingly brought 
to the notice of the British Association, with its innumerable 
members among the votaries of all sciences. 
Ornithology has never lacked among its followers those who 
chiefly apply themselves to the discrimination of species—“species- 
mongers,” as they are irreverently called; and at one time, or 
perhaps more than once in the history of the Science, their activity 
was accounted the bane of the study. This, I think, was a short- 
sighted view; and certainly of late, since the theory of Natural 
Selection has been propounded, the much-despised “ species- 
mongers” have had good reason to comfort themselves with the 
assurance that theirs has not been lost labour; and, moreover, they 
are thereby enabled to go on working with the consciousness that 
what they are handling has a value far above anything that was 
suspected of it in pre-Darwinian days. Nothing, then, can be more 
healthy than the general aspect of this branch of research. 
In the same way also the great subject of geographical distri- 
bution is being treated with the best possible results. This must 
always be an interesting topic to ornithologists, because we know 
thatthe foundations of the study were first firmly laid by one of 
our own body,* though he at that time could form no conception of 
the grand edifice which the doctrine of descent would erect on that 
base. Not that the edifice is erected yet, very far from it; the 
walls are only beginning to make a show above the surface, but its 
completion is as sure as anything well can be. I may safely leave 
it in the hands of its able builders. 
Then comes a branch of the subject which either has no name at 
all, or else so many which are misleading, that I hardly know how 
to call it. Perhaps “ Developmental Osteology” is one of the least 
objectionable, and I will choose that; but a great many men will 
know better what I mean when I say that it is the department of 
our Science which in this country Professor Parker has made his 
* Sclater, ‘Journal of the Linnean Society,’ Zoology, ii. p. 130, 
le Oe 
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