BLACK WHEATEAB, 
119 
ScJiwarzer Steinsehmdtzer, Of Metee. 
Culhianco Ahhrunato, Of Savi and Maemoea. 
Specific Characters . — Plumage black, or blackisb, with tbe upper 
and lower tail coverts white; tail white, with half of the two 
middle quills and the posterior fourth of the laterals black. Length 
of male sent me by thePev. H. B. Tristram, seven inches; female 
sis inches and a quarter. 
Cabanis has separated this bird, with some others, 
from the genus Saxicola, and included it under that of 
Dromol<xa, in consequence of its habits being different 
from those of the typical Wheatears. He has been 
followed by Bonaparte and others, who, by adopting, 
have acquiesced in the propriety of the arrangement. 
I have not space here to do more than account for 
my own reasons for preferring the retention of this 
species in the genus Saxicola. I do not for a moment 
question the grounds upon which this separation is 
made, as being contrary to the scientific rules observed 
by modern ornithological classifiers; but I doubt very 
much whether any greater degree of precision in definition 
is obtained, while the evil of a multiplicity of generic 
names, and a consequent complexity of ornithology as 
a science, is effected. I therefore prefer the retention 
of the original generic term of Bechstein, though I 
admit that it does not give a general idea of the 
structure and habits of the whole class, and therefore 
was perhaps originally ill-chosen. But just Siflviadex, 
or, as we are told it ought to be, Sylviidcs, is sufficient 
for all useful purposes as indicating a great group of 
birds, all of which have not sylvan habits, so I think 
we may accept Saxicola as a good generic term though 
all the species do not affect rocks and stones. 
No better illustration could be given of the truth of 
