178 THE OENITHOLOGICAL GUIDE. 



have been most unfairly and unwarrantably altered 

 to Erythaca, Fenicura, Yunx ( ! J Haliacetus, Recur- 

 virostra, Hcematopius, Cariocatactes, and Trochilus. 

 Instead of countenancing such petty efforts of 

 certain nomenclators to get themselves into notice at 

 the expense of their predecessors, it shall always be 

 my desire to expose them. 



Besides having a peculiar vernacular name for 

 each genus, it will be found that I have in no 

 case allowed the name of a genus to become entan- 

 gled with a specific name, or another generic name ; 

 in order to form a name for a distinct genus — a very 

 favorite practice with some nomenclators who carry 

 on this manufacture by the wholesale. For example 

 Bull-Finch (Pirrula,) Wall-Creeper (Ticodroma,) 

 Sea-Eagle (Ossifraga,) Goose-Hawk (Astur,) 

 Tit-Lark (Antfius,) Mag-Pye (Pica,) Bottle-Tit 

 ( Afedala ,) &c, &c. This practice is also employed 

 in the universal names, in which however, it is not 

 the less reprehensible : as Haliaeius, Erithrospiza^ 

 Nicticorax, all which, and many others, are used 

 even by scientific naturalists ! 



As for " sub-genera," which have been introduced 

 by some modern naturalists, and which have even 

 yet some upholders, I think them, to say the least, 

 very unscientific, not to say slovenly. What can 

 be more clumsy than Passerine Nightling Owl, 

 (Stria,' Noctna passerina,) Dusky Whinling Fauvet 

 (Ficedula Melizojilus fuscas,) Sea Ossifrage Eagle 

 ( Aquila Ossifraga albicilla.) Some place the 



