46 THE ORNITHOLOGICAL GUIDE. 



so at dusk, he must also do so in the night, for dusk 

 does not commence in summer till the night has 

 commenced — taking night in the correct acceptation 

 of the term, the twelve hours that usually elapse 

 between sunrise and sunset — that is to say, night in 

 contradistinction to day.* Another has said that 

 the term does not exclusively apply to this genus, as 

 the species of several other genera, make a harsh 

 jarring noise in the night. This is very true; but 

 will not this objection apply equally to many other 

 generic names which have never been objected to ? 

 For instance, Woodpecker, Wagtail, Warbler, Red- 

 breast, Grosbeak, Longspur, Creeper, Nutcracker, 

 and many others. In short, I do not recollect a 

 single meaning generic name in Ornithology (with 

 the exception of Crossbill (Crucirostra, Meyer) 

 which will not apply to other genera, than that for 

 which it is used. Thus if Nightjar is rejected on 

 account of its applicability to other genera, so must 

 almost every meaning generic name in Ornithology 

 be also rejected. I incline to the opinion of several 

 eminent Naturalists, in thinking unmeaning generic 

 names to be the best, such as Fauvet, Eagle, Thrush, 

 Wren, Anrael. Partridge, Duck, Hern, &c. 



I shall now extract the article in the Analyst 

 which answers the communication of Mr. Strick- 

 land, the arguments of which I have shewn to be 



a See some excellent remarks on this subject (on the misapplied 

 application of the word night) in that amusing work — Prose by a 

 Poet. 



