78 THE ORNITHOLOGICAL GUIDE. 



I have now enumerated the greater number of 

 objectionable methods in naming animals, and most 

 of them are, I am happy to perceive, far less fre- 

 quently used than they were formerly. But, it may 

 be said, although a name is wrong, yet if change is 

 once allowed, the privilege will soon be abused. 

 And what human privilege is there against which 

 this objection cannot be brought? Study, exercise, 

 recreation, nay, even food and sleep, would be alike 

 denied us, if judged from their effects in excess. It 

 is clear that Mr. Strickland has had the evil effects 

 of the excess in his mind, and thence condemns the 

 whole practice. Indeed he expressly says in one 

 part, " from the excess of this practice," &c, and 

 thence proceeds to denounce alteration altogether. 

 But the anti-reformers by grasping at too much, lose 

 all, for when a proposition is found to be unsound 

 in part, the whole is apt to be rejected. Thus, any 

 one who did not think much on the subject, seeing 

 how absurd the affirmation of Mr. Strickland is, 

 would be apt to disregard it altogether. 



With a view, then, of setting the subject on a 

 firmer basis, I should propose a few tests by which 

 to try names, which, if they will stand the trial, no 

 one has a right to alter, but on the contrary, if they 

 will not, any one may alter them. Thus with regard 

 to specific names : 1st : they must be consistent 

 with truth: 2nd: they must not be taken from the 

 name of a person: 3rd: they must not be taken 

 from the name of a country, or from a generic char- 

 acter; these however perhaps come under the 1st. 



