276 ON THE DIFFERENT SPECIES^4€. 
in winter plumage, was afterwards given in the fourth vo- 
lume of the Memoirs of the Wernerian Society, by Mr 
Edmondston^ a zealous ornithologist of Shetland. Mr E. 
has two papers on the subject, the first read on the 24th 
March 1821, the other on the 23d March 1822.- His de- 
scription, is fuller than Captain Sabine^s, and he also de- 
scribes its manners as observed in Shetland, In the first 
memoir, he introduces it as a nevf species ; and in the last 
remarks definitively, that although it might have previously 
been obscurely known, it was now for the first time de- 
scribed as a British species ; and from tbe circumstances 
dietailed, it may with propriety receive the name of Larus 
Tslandiom, which he had proposed, as both designative of 
its " Arctic haunts," and commemorative of the " vulgar 
appellation by which it is known in the Zetland Islands." 
This Part was published in 1822; but Mr Edmondston^ 
alludes to a description made in. IS 14^. which I have not 
been able to seco 
It is still necessary to add a few words with regard to 
the names of this and the preceding species. It being un- 
derst€)od thiat the Glaucous Gull of the older authors may 
signify either or both, it would be necessary to restrict the 
name of Glaucous to one of them, were its apphcation in- 
dispensable. But this term Glaucous being equally appli- 
cable to three of the larger gulls, and a multitude of the 
smaller ones,- and being, moreover,, liable to lead into error, 
is it not better to adopt names free of all these faults ? Of 
this kind, then, it is presumed, are the names proposed. 
With regard to the outcry against change of names, I have 
only to observe, that names, as well as descriptions, must 
continue to fluctuate until they be rendered of such a na- 
ture as to be harmonized with common sense and sound 
judgment. 
