400 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



But in his zeal to be right he sometimes guesses unnecessarily. 

 For instance, the Godwit was known as far back as the time of 

 Gesner as Fedoa ; it is hardly right to alter this to foeda at the 

 present day. Surely the application of foeda is as obscure as 

 the derivation of fedoa. Alterations in spelling should never be 

 made without the clearest evidence, and here the only evidence is 

 ignorance. 



Again, imagination carries our author away when he attempts 

 to explain Nwmenius a/rquata. The "crescent-moon" suggestion 

 is no doubt the correct explanation of the generic name, but we 

 believe Mr. Wharton will show us a new meaning for arquata 

 when at last the ' Ibis ' List appears. 



It is easy to say that Harelda is "a nonsense-word, invented 

 by Leach " (1816), but it involves our endowing Willughby with 

 an almost prophetic power. In his ' Ornithologia,' p. 290 (1676), 

 he has a section describing, to use his own words, "Anas cavda- 

 cuta Islandica Harelda ipsii dicta." Leach did not invent the 

 name, but merely latinised an Icelandic form. 



How far astray an etymologist may be led by guessing is 

 comically illustrated by Dr. Coues' derivation of perspicillatu. 

 The true meaning of the word must be " covered with looking- 

 glasses," from spend inn, a mirror, in reference to the white 

 patches on the head. For this idea, in common with many other 

 of our emendations, we are indebted to Mr. Wharton, who has 

 courteously allowed us a sight of some of his proof-sheets. 



Notwithstanding the deficiencies we have found in Dr. Coues' 

 book, it must be remembered that there are in it more than a 

 thousand remarks concerning names which it would be mere 

 flattery to commend. The book teems with information which it 

 would take years of research to find elsewhere. Future ornitho- 

 logists will be grateful for the knowledge of the persons from 

 whom such names as graciae, laciae, &c, were taken, and Dr. 

 Coues gives an interesting note on the pronunciation of his own 

 name, together with a little genealogy, under Arquatella couesi. 

 Any author might be proud of such a crown to his literary 

 labours as the present ' Ornithological Dictionary ' undoubtedly 

 is to those of Dr. Coues. 



