THE ORNITHOLOGICAL GUIDE. 41 



sinking cause for which Mr. Strickland argues. 

 There are some however who might be led away 

 even by this comparison — absurd as it is. " A com- 

 plete parallel," says Mr. Strickland, " seems to 

 exist between the proper names of species and of 

 men." This, in my opinion, is a most unfortunate 

 and ill sorted comparison. The object of names 

 bestowed on men is to enable us to distinguish each 

 individual by arbitrary sounds — for it would be 

 impossible to find names expressing some personal 

 peculiarity for each individual, and even were it 

 possible, the plan, if put in practice, would be pro- 

 ductive of more confusion than advantage: thus 

 suppose a person named in infancy " dark-hair ;" by 

 the time he has attained maturity some accident may 

 have turned his hair light-colored, or he may have 

 lost it altogether, and thus the appellation would 

 but ill suit him ever after. The case is however very 

 different with birds: for although an individual of 

 the species called Blackcapt, Fauvet may be white 

 capt, or a specimen of the genus Longspur may 

 have accidentally lost Iris spurs, yet this does not 

 invalidate the name for the rest of the species or 

 genus. The names given to men are merely arbi- 

 trary signs and soimds — no one thinks of the sense ; 

 it would therefore be ridiculous to attempt a change; 

 but in science the case is very different — the mean- 

 ing is thought of there. I do not say that it is 

 necessary that the generic name should have a 

 meaning, but that if it has a meaning it must not 



