THE ORNITHOLOGICAL GUIDE. 83 



zoology, belongs exclusively to him. He alone is 

 the author of that system which both Ray and 

 Linneus took for their guide, which was not im- 

 proved by the former, or confessed by the latter." — 

 System of Nature, vol I, p. 27. The erroneous 

 notion that Ray wrote this volume seems to have 

 had its origin in the fact of that author having 

 translated the manuscripts from the Latin, but he 

 can no more on that account be called the author of 

 the General Ornithology, than Macmurtrie can be 

 called the author of the Regne Animal. Ray, it is 

 true, added a few descriptions, but even these were 

 not his, as he himself declares in the following 

 passage : — " But because Mr. Willughbv (though 

 sparing neither pains nor cost) could not procure, 

 and consequently did not describe all sorts of 

 Birds," (every species of bird,) " to perfect the 

 Work, I have added the Descriptions and Histories 

 of those that were wanting, out of Gesner, Aldro- 

 vand, Bellon, Margrave, Clusius, Hermandez, 

 Bontius, Wormius, and Piso ; disposing each kind, 

 as near as I could, in its proper place." And not 

 only has Willughby been defrauded of his due 

 with regard to the work, but also the names given 

 by him been ascribed to more modem authors. I 

 will give a few examples : Perdix cinerea, Turdus 

 viscivorus, T. pilaris, T. iliacus, Merula vulgaris, 

 M. torquata, Alauda vulgaris, Motacilla alba, 

 M.jiava, Parus caudatus, Coccothraustes vulgaris, 

 Linaria montana, Accipiter palumbarius, &c, &c, 



