ornithologist's text-book. 2-21 



by such absurd names as " Solan Goose", " Pied 

 Finch", &c. But, though reform is gradually going 

 on, yet there are no avowed and unerring principles 

 by which the Ornithologist can abide, be his sys- 

 tem what it may. Some few, indeed, appear to 

 have had a glimpse of such principles, but, un- 

 happily, have not invariably adhered to them. 

 Thus Stephens, though he gives the generic name 

 " Warbler" to most of the members of Latham's 

 Sylvia, terms the Sylvia sylviella (now Ficedula 

 garrula, Blyth) " Lesser Whitethroal", — making 

 the same bird belong to two genera, as it were. 

 But as such inconsistencies do not often occur in 

 the General Zoology, this work may — setting aside 

 the classification — be held up as a model for Eng- 

 lish nomenclature. Had Selby followed the ex- 

 ample of Stephens, in this particular, the Illus- 

 trations of British Ornithology would have been 

 faultless. Nothing can be more erroneous than 

 the supposition that a work can be rendered un- 

 popular by using proper names ; for by far the 

 greater number of our Naturalists consists of ama- 

 teurs; and the Naturalists of this class will seldom 

 take upon themselves to criticise the scientific por- 

 tion of the work. In this department, they natu- 

 rally look to their superiors for instruction, and 

 would certainly have no objection* to employing 

 any new English names that might be adopted by 

 them, especially if these names were given on fixed 

 rules and scientific principles. The works of the 

 great Ornithologists are the text-books of the ama- 

 teur Naturalist, and therefore whatever English 



* Since writing the above, a distinguished field Naturalist, the 

 Rev. W. T. Bree, has expressed to us (by letter) Ms disapprobation 

 of our plan of altering many long established English names. We 

 think, however, that were scientific Ornithologists invariably to em- 

 ploy the proper English names, in standard works, they would, ere 

 long, come into general use. — N. W. 



T 3 



