THE ORNITHOLOGICAL GUIDE. 31 



covered in Britain as a very rare inhabitant. What 

 led Mr. Strickland into this erroneous statement is 

 probably the following passage: — "Are not the 

 names Meadow Pipit, (Anthus pratensis, Bechst ;) 

 Java Finch, (Fringilla oryzivora, Lin. ; Hedge 

 Dunnoc ,( Accentor modularis, Cuv.;) Gray Squaterol 

 ( Squatarola cinerea, Cuv.;) Willow Warbler (Silvia 

 melodia,T$LYTii;) European Dipper, (Cinclus euro- 

 peus, Stev. ;) Bearded Pinnoc, ( Calamophilus biar- 

 micus, Leach ;) and Snow Longspur ( Plectrophanes 

 nivalis, Meyer;) infinitely superior to those given 

 above ?" But not one of these names is new, so that 

 the vernacular names are not altered. The other 

 names "given above" for those birds are, Meadow 

 or Tit Lark, Java Sparroiv, Hedge Sparrow, Gray 

 Plover, Willow Wren, Water Ouzel, Bearded Tit, 

 and Snow Bunting. We may well say with the 

 writer — "If an intelligent student finds in a book 

 ' the Bearded Tit, ( 'Calamipholus biarmicusj ) he 

 will ask, and with justice, how can one bird be in 

 two genera ; and no satisfactory reason can be given. 

 By using the names I have given above, this is 

 remedied, and all becomes plain, and easy to under- 

 stand." Even supposing for the moment that no 

 one has a right to alter received names, surely every 

 one has a right to choose which of the received 

 names he pleases, and not be nailed down to that 

 appellation which happens to be used in the district 

 where Mr. Strickland resides. Now for Mr. 

 Strickland : — " They (the names) are consecrated 



