THE CANADIAN SPORTSMAN AND NATURALIST. 



15 



OUK GAME. 



Kei'ort on Nomenclature. — Continued. 



Cariacus — "Horns emaller, curving forward, 

 (.lie first spur short, curving upward ; l;iil long; 

 hoots rather elongate ; size smaller." 



Now, in all conscience, what earthly object 

 is achieved in all this but a general muddle? 

 7V sub-family is erected on the ground that 

 certain forma have deciduous horns, or that 

 they may want these ornaments, forgetting also 

 that the so-called non-deciduous horns aire 

 deciduous at some time of their existence. 

 This is certainly factitious, so we may discard 

 the siib-family Cervince, and thereby benefit 

 true science. 



Now, look at the genera: Aloes and Ran- 

 gifer are separated namely on the ground of a 

 few hairs at the tip of the nose, which are by 

 no means constant, and the possession of horns 

 by the females of the latter. To follow the 

 rule, the females might constitute a genera by 

 themselves, as their horns are rarely palmate. 

 Again, the presence or absence of horns is by 

 no means a generic characteristic, scarcely 

 even a specific one, as it is now known that 

 there is a tendency among all these genera to 

 horns in the female. Cervus and Rangifer 

 are separated on the grounds of want of marked 

 palmation in the former, and absence of ant- 

 lers in the female sex. Cariacus is divided 

 on the basis of a rather more elongated hoof, 

 the angle of curvature in the antlers, and — 

 horror of horrors — a taint difference in tail. 



Now, gentlemen, here is not evidence suffi- 

 cient to found a genera, though of undoubted 

 value in the distinction of species. Formerly, 

 great stress was laid upon the supposed fact 

 that the young of the moose and caribou 

 never exhibited the spotted coat, but the falsity 

 of this has been shown by the researches ol 

 Capt. Campbell Hardy. This leaves no ground 

 whatever for the puerile classification and 

 nomenclature exhibited, and we may with 

 propriety return to Oervus as the generic title 

 of all our deer; there is tio mistaking Cervus 

 Alces for the elk or moose deer, Corns Ran- 

 gifer for the reindeer, Ccrrus Canadensis for the 



wapiti, and Oervut I irginiantu for our common 

 species. Judge Caton has already recognized 



this tact, and took the initiative in his work on 

 tin' "Antelope and Deer of North America." 



Even to ereel a new species i- a grave 

 mistake if it naturally coincides with any 

 other. We have at present Cervus (Caria 

 Cucurus and Cirrus Mexicana, which are hut 

 the common Virginia species slightl) m>"liti<-d 

 by range, climate, differences in food, etc. It 

 is a well known rule of classification, but little 

 recognized by (lie pseudo-scientists ol the day 

 — that to give birth to a new specii — letting 

 ale me genera — it is necessary thai character- 

 istics should be observed thai are prominent, 

 constant ami uniform in every individual, and 

 wanting in all other individuals of tin sanu 

 <'la.ss, and that cannot !>;/ any possibility /» 

 attributed /" variation in habitat, food, cli- 

 matic causes, etc. Dei this, then, obtain with 

 us as a body and as individuals. 



Ol birds, the same may he said in a general 

 way as of mammals. But this report is already 

 too long to admit of reviewing their classification 

 as thoroughly as has just been done, following 

 Step by step down to well-known objects ; such 

 would be taxing an already over-taxed patience. 

 Let us commence at once, therefore, with our 

 grouse. 



Under our present absurd method ol classi- 

 fication and nomenclature, America pOSSi — - 

 no less than six genera of grouse, exclusive 

 of the ptarmigan. These genera are divided 

 into twelve species, or six species and <i\ 

 varieties of species, viz: the spruce grouse 

 and Franklin variety ol the same, the dusk} 

 grouse, and a darker variety, the pinnated 

 grouse and a variety, two forms ol sharp tail, 

 one sage, and three ruffled grouse. 



The following table exhibits the different 

 genera and the characteristics on which each 

 is supposed to he based ; the genus Dendraga- 

 pus has been denied by one author, and rele- 

 gated to canace, as he evidently felt that its 

 discoverer was poaching on his preserves, but 

 its existence is equally valid with those at 

 present accepted. 



