2730 Birds. 



in such a manner and to such an extent as to be properly included in 

 the species of which it is strictly composed. They cannot be described 

 by characters peculiar to themselves, but by those in their structure 

 and plumage in which they have a resemblance to others. The cha- 

 racter of the genus Polyboroides is, that it resembles the genus Poly- 

 borus : the character of this particular species typicus is, that it 

 furnishes in itself the rule by which are to be determined those other 

 birds which may, more or less, resemble the genus Polyborus. Of 

 what advantage, in the advancement of knowledge, is such a genus as 

 Polyboroides likely to be productive ? The bird of which we are 

 speaking, Polyboroides typicus, occurs in Africa : the bird which it 

 appears it resembles, to so great a degree that the most appropriate 

 name for the genus to which it belongs is the ' Polyborus resembler,' 

 is a native of America. If, in future ages, the inhabitants of Africa 

 shall turn their attention, as is to be hoped, to the study of the works 

 of Nature, will it greatly assist their researches and render their infor- 

 mation more clear and precise to be told that the most remarkable 

 thing which science can say to them, about a bird which maybe daily 

 before their eyes, is its uncommon resemblance to a certain other bird 

 in America, a quarter of the world in which they have never been, and 

 the natural productions of which they have had no opportunity of 

 seeing ? As names of genera, it is also conceived that the gravest ob- 

 jections may be entertained against Todirostrum, or the todybill 

 (p. 68) ; Struthidea, or the ostrich form, from struthion, an ' ostrich,' 

 and idea, l form ' or ' appearance ' (p. 63) ; Certhidea, or the creeper 

 form (p. 285); Geocichla, or the ground thrush (p. 69) ; Hydrocheli- 

 don, or the water swallow (p. 83) ; and Ornismya, or the bird-fly, for 

 the name of which genus recourse has been had to two distinct and 

 widely-separated divisions of the animal kingdom. It is presumed 

 that this may be the reason why Dr. Wagner has placed after it a 

 mark of astonishment (p. 289). Of the same objectionable character 

 would appear to be the genus Ramphocinclus, or the bill ouzel (p. 71). 

 This unfortunate word is, moreover, made to do service as the name of 

 another and a distinct genus ; and this is effected by a transposition 

 of the two words of which it is compounded. It then appears as Cin- 

 cloramphus, or the ouzel bill. And of the species of which the genus 

 is made up, one is denominated Cincloramphus cantatoris, the only 

 translation of which must — so far as I can see — be ' the ouzel bill of 

 the singer.' Such a name, however, is so generally absurd, that can- 

 tatoris is possibly a misprint for some other word (p. 70). Of another 

 genus the name is Megaloperdix, or the great partridge : and with re- 



