ORCHARD ORIOLE 



65 



" every thing except the colors, and not even in the distribution of 

 " these, but only in the different tints they assume ; we cannot he- 

 " sitate to infer, that the Spurious Baltimore is a variety of a more 

 " generous race, degenerated by the influence of climate, or some 

 " other accidental caiise/^ 



How the influence of climate could affect one portion of a spe- 

 cies and not the other, when both reside in the same climate, and 

 feed nearly on the same food ; or what accidental cause could pro- 

 duce a difference so striking, and also so regular, as exists between 

 the two, are I confess, matters beyond my comprehension. But, if 

 it be recollected, that the bird which the Count was thus philoso- 

 phising upon, was nothing more than the female Baltimore Oriole, 

 which exactly corresponds to the description of his male Bastard 

 Baltimore, the difficulties at once vanish, and with them the whole 

 superstructure of theory founded on this mistake. Dr. Latham also, 

 while he confesses the great confusion and uncertainty that prevail 

 between the true and bastard Baltimore and their females, consi- 

 ders it highly probable that the whole will be found to belong to 

 one and the same species in their different changes of color. In 

 this conjecture, however, the worthy naturalist has likewise been 

 mistaken ; and I shall endeavour to point out the fact as well as the 

 source of this mistake. 



And here I cannot but take notice of the name which natu- 

 ralists have bestowed on this bird, and which is certainly remark- 

 able. Specific names, to be perfect, ought to express some pecu- 

 liarity, common to no other of the genus ; and should, at least, be 

 consistent with truth ; but in the case now before us, the name has 

 no one merit of the former, nor even that of the latter to recom- 

 mend it, and ought henceforth to be rejected as highly improper, 

 and calculated, like that of Goatsucker and many others equally 

 ridiculous, to perpetuate that error from which it originated. The 

 word bastard among men has its determinate meaning; but when 

 applied to a whole species of birds, perfectly distinct from any 



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