THE ORNITHOLOGICAL GUIDE. 55 



before us, the name has no one merit of the former, 

 nor even that of the latter to recommend it, and 

 ought henceforth to be rejected as highly improper, 

 and calculated, like that of Goatsucker, and many 

 others equally ridiculous, to perpetuate that error 

 from which it originated. The word bastard, among 

 men, has its determinate meaning ; but when applied 

 to a whole species of birds, perfectly distinct from 

 any other, originally deriving their peculiarities of 

 form, manners, color, &c, from the common source 

 of all created beings, and perpetuating them, by the 

 usual laws of generation, or unmixed and independ- 

 ent as any other ; is, to call it by no worse name, a 

 gross absurdity. Should the reader be displeased 

 with this, I beg leave to remind him, that, as the 

 faithful historian of our feathered tribes, I must be 

 allowed the liberty of vindicating them from every 

 misrepresentation whatever, whether originating from 

 ignorance or prejudice ; and of allotting to each res- 

 pective species, as far as I can distinguish, that rank 

 and place in the great order of nature to which it is 

 entitled." Mr. Strickland would have retained the 

 names Sapsucker, and Bastard Oriole (Oriolus 

 spurius, Lin.) on the same principle that he would 

 Goatsucker, Hedge Sparroiv, &c. Truth, how- 

 ever, will prevail — vain are the presumptuous efforts 

 of man to stifle her : as well might the hazy mists 

 of a Summer morning attempt to arrest the progress 

 of the rising sun. I am sorry to say, that Selby in 

 his excellent British Ornithology, has used the term 



